452 On Hybrids produced in a Wild State, &c. 



Cock. J ' Pheasant. 



In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. 



Length of bill to rictus, . 12 15 14 



— tarsus, ... 2 2 31 31 



middle toe, . . 1 10 2 1 11 



to nail, 8 7 7 



bind toe, . . 5 7 8 



to nail, . 4£ 4 4 



Fourth quill longest in hybrid and black-grouse ; 3d, 4th, and 5th 

 equal in pheasant.* Tail of hybrid extending 5^ inches beyond 

 closed wing, rounded on expansion, containing 17 feathers, all but 

 the longest being regularly matched, it has probably lost one ; 18 

 is the number both in the pheasant and black-grouse. Bill in form 

 differing only from the pheasant in having the upper mandible less 

 arched. Tarsi and toes in form like the pheasant, but having many 

 more plates; tarsi, bare on the sides and behind, but feathered in front 

 for half their length. Naked skin about the eye equalling in extent 

 the pheasant's, but differing in form both from it and the black-cock's 

 merely appearing in advance of the eye, but broadening out to the 

 extent of half an inch just behind it. There is none above the eye 

 as in the latter bird. Form of the feathers on the head, neck, breast, 

 back, belly, and under tail-coverts, intermediate between the two spe- 

 cies ; of the scapulars and wings approximating to those of the black 

 grouse. The quills are similar, — those of the tail unlike either species. 

 In colour the hybrid has head, neck, breast, and belly black, each 

 feather when viewed in the light, terminating in a band of a rich 

 claret colour tinged with gold, which decreases in breadth down- 

 wards, until at the lower part of the belly it disappears. On lay- 

 ing back the breast feathers, the inner ones exhibit about an inch or 

 less from the tip, a somewhat semicircular band of a cream colour ; 

 the inner feathers at upper part of the back similarly examined, 

 shew the cream-coloured marking of the pheasant, the remainder of 

 the feather black, terminating in a claret colour. Upper part of the 

 back, wings, and tail, not resembling either sex of black-grouse or 

 pheasant, but have a soft blending of grey, brownish-yellow, and black, 

 beautifully undulated ; quills differing only from the black-cock's in 

 the shafts being blackish-brown. Tail-feathers obscurely undulated 

 with black and brownish- yellow, and transversely barred with black, 

 the bars on the outer feathers occupying as much space as the mot- 

 tled plumage, their tips black for about 1^ inches ; this colour gra- 

 dually lessens towards the central feathers, the five longest being 

 * By pheasant the male bird is meant throughout, when not otherwise ex- 



