17(» PHEASANTS FOR COVEJrrS AND AVJAIUES. 



intervals with IjroaJ, conspicuous black bands, passing int" 

 I'cddish-lirown on the sides of the l)asal ])ni'tion nf the six 

 central feathers ; bill yellowish-liorn colour ; irides yellow ; 

 feet u-reyish-white. The female lias the whole of the upper 

 surface brownish-black, with a margin of buiT to every feather ; 

 the throat whitish, and tlie central portion (if the under 

 surface fawn colour; flanks mottled with brown; tail buff, 

 barred with dark lirown, between which are other intei'rujjted 

 bars of tlie same hue. 'J'hese marks are broader on the two 

 central feathers tha.n on the others, and, moreover, ihi imt 

 reveal the edge on either side." 



'J'he specihc luime tdn/mifiis is deilved from Inrijn ii\ a 

 necklace or collar. Tliis species was introduced into fhigland 

 a, great many years since, long before the time of [jatham 

 (1790), who described it as luiving been turned out in 

 ])reserves nil iiuiny estates ; and in 17dl! Peter ('ollinson saw 

 " some beautiful (_'hina ]iheasants " in the ]iLissession ijf 

 Captain OolT, an I'lasI India l)irector (Richardson, Corre- 

 spondence, bSo'J). No birds could be belter adapted for our 

 coverts; l«'iiig natives of a cold part of (_'hina, the\' are a fry 

 hardy — a character which they displa\- li\ hnuiL:' earlv in the 

 season, and by producing an ;ibiin(hint sup]ily of et!;gs. The 

 pure Chinese is a liird of bold flight, rising tliroiiL!;h the 

 covert with great ipiirkness, and then juirMniig a >\\ift, 

 strtiight course. It is iiii(|iiest lonalily a most ornainental 

 addition to our game birds, lieiiii!' \aliialile nol. only for the 

 beauty of its plumage, but aUo for the didicacvof its Hesh. 

 The breed is, however, kept in a state ol ab^olllte jiiiritv with 

 souie difficulty, as the niale^ are apt to wander ; indeed, 

 Mr. W, Jjiildiard, AV'est ISridgford, Nottiuiilnun , who has 

 reareil tliem in the United States, where the}- are I'ommonlv 

 known as .Mongolians, repm'ts that he had e\idenee of his 

 ring-necks being killed thirty and forty miles from where thev 

 were bred. Hence crosses lietweeii it and the common species 

 are very prevaU^nt ; these c(.)nstitute what aie usiialK" calleil 

 the ring-necked jiheasants. 'khese ci-oss-bretl birds are 



