THE GREEN JAPANESE PHEASANTS. 



{^Phasianus versicolor.^ 



The native environment of the Pheas- 

 ant of our illustration is in Japan, that 

 beautiful land of flowers. There among 

 hills of the island of Niphon the males 

 display their beautiful plumage, the col- 

 ors of which are greatly enhanced by the 

 bright sunlight. They are called Green 

 Pheasants because of the brilliant shade 

 of this color which pervades the feath- 

 ers of the breast and under parts of the 

 birds, and in certain lights modifies 

 nearly all the rest of the plumage of the 

 body. At times the green color deepens 

 into a dark and rich emerald, and when 

 observed from some angles, a bright 

 purplish hue is evident. In captivity, 

 these Pheasants vary somewhat in color 

 and color patterns. This is without 

 doubt due mainly to the interbreeding of 

 one or more species of this genus. They 

 have been extensively introduced into the 

 game preserves of Europe, especially in 

 England, where they are often allowed to 

 roam with two other species of Phasi- 

 anus. This is to be regretted, for it has 

 in many instances resulted in the produc- 

 tion of mongrel races of no value. It "is 

 said that individuals with the pure blood 

 of the native bird are hard to find in cap- 

 tivity. While very shy, the Green 

 Pheasants seem to thrive and multiply 

 rapidly in captivity, and few pheasants 

 are better known. It is a' native only of 

 Japan, and there it is practically limited 

 to the island of Niphon. 



In the published report of Commodore 

 Perry's Expedition to Japan, Mr. Gas- 

 sin gives the following account of his 

 experiences with the Green Pheasants in 

 their native haunts : 



''One morning at dawn of day, I 

 shouldered my gun and landed in search 

 of specimens of birds, and, that day, had 

 the good fortune for the first time to see 

 the Pheasant before us. 



"The Province Idza, at the southern 

 extremity of which the port of Simoda 

 is situated, forms a long neck of land 

 extending from the Island of Niphon in 

 a southerly direction, and is throughout 



mountainous, being from four to five 

 thousand feet high. The valleys are 

 highly cultivated, presenting in the 

 spring a most luxurious landscape. The 

 tops of the mountains and hills are in 

 some places composed of barren rocks, 

 and in others covered with grass and 

 shrubs, producing an abundance of small 

 berries. Between these higher regions 

 and the fields below, the slopes are cov- 

 ered with woods, having for the greater 

 part such thick undergrowth that it is 

 scarcely possible to penetrate them. 



"Following the beautiful valley, at the 

 outlet of which the town of Simoda 

 stands, for about four miles, I came to a 

 place where the Simoda Creek divides 

 into two branches. Selecting the eastern 

 branch, I soon left fields and houses 

 behind me; and ascending through a lit- 

 tle gully, I emerged from the woods into 

 the barren region. It was yet early in 

 the morning; clouds enveloped the peaks 

 and tops of the hills, the fields and woods 

 were silent, and the distant sound of the 

 surf from the seashore far below rather 

 increased than lessened the impression of 

 deep solitude made upon me by the 

 strange scenery around. 



"The walk and ascent had fatigued 

 me somewhat ; I had laid down my gun 

 and game-bag, and was just stooping to 

 drink from a little spring that trickled 

 from a rock, when, not ten yards from 

 me, a large Pheasant rose with a loud 

 rustling noise ; and before I had recov- 

 ered my gun he had disappeared over 

 the brow of a hill. I felt somewhat 

 ashamed for allowing myself thus to be 

 taken so completely aback ; but noticing 

 the direction in which he had gone, I 

 proceeded more carefully in pursuit. A 

 small stretch of tableland, which I soon 

 reached, was covered with short grass 

 and some little clusters of shrubs, "with 

 scattered fragments of rocks ; and as I 

 heard a note, which I took to be the 

 crowing of a cock Pheasant at a short 

 distance, I availed myself of the excel- 

 lent cover, and crawling cautiously on 



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