l-J-2 PHEASANTS FOR (VIE UTS AXD J VI ARIES. 



P. fori/uatnN, and are muat goryfoiis objects wlica lliisliud in 

 the siinligbt on open ground; Ijut as tlie ' strain' gradually 

 dies nut, the green and lavender tints on the back begin to 

 fade, and the rich orange tlanks are toned down by degrees ; 

 though still the most marked feature of all, the white ring on 

 the neck, descends from one generation to anothei-, and the 

 hybrid origin of the bird is thus apparent long after every 

 other ti'ace of its ndxed parentage has entirely passed 

 away." 



The Chinese pheasant has Ijeen introduced into several 

 parts of the globe with success, '^rhe rapidity of its increase 

 in New Zealand has already been noticed. As long ago as 

 the year Iblo it was acclimatised in the island of St. Helena 

 in very peculiar circumstances, as related by Brookes in 

 liis history of the ishind. Fernandez L(jpes, having deserted 

 h'om the army of A. Albuquerc[ue at (loa, was exiled, along 

 with a number of negroes, and banished to iSt. Helena, being- 

 supplied with roots, seeds, ])Oultry, and pheasants for turning 

 out. 'J'he.se were of the species now under consideration. 

 Berries and seeds being abundant in the island, the birds 

 became wild, throve amazingly, and on the visit of Captain 

 Cavendish in 1588 he found them in great abundance and 

 admirable condition. In 1875 we are informed, in Melliss's 

 " St. Helena," that they still exist abundantly, and quite 

 maintain the characteristics mentioned by Cavendish. They 

 are protected by game laws, which permit them to be killed, 

 on payment of the licences, for six weeks in the summer or 

 autumn of each year, and hundreds of them are generally 

 killeil during one shooting season. They tind plenty of 

 covert, and generally make their nests in the long tufty fields 

 of C(.)w-grass {I\isptilinn KcrohirnJatnin). 



Ther(^ can be no doubt that the Chinese or ring-necked 

 species has remained in its purity at St. Helena. Ships going 

 to India viil the Cape of Good Hope in the olden time did not 

 sail within a thousand njiles of St. Helena; but, takiu"- 

 advantage of the trade winds, they went direct to the coast 



