170 PHEASAxrs rnn coverts axd aviaries 



came to the liammer. A iiuinbei- of the versicolor pheasants, 

 inchiding the original bird, were purcliased by Prince Demidoff 

 lor his preserves in Italy, and others passed into the posses- 

 sion of Mr. J. J. Gnrney, of Norwich. Since tliat period other 

 specimens liave been imported, and at tlie present time the 

 r verxiriiliir is established as a denizen of many of oui- 

 preserves. 



In foiiii, hal)its, and disposition the 1' vernicolor corre- 

 sponds closely to our common pheasants. As a. game bird 

 it is, both in the covert and on the table, <if undeniable 

 excellecce. 



As the bird crosses freely both with the common and the 

 Chinese species, it is desirable to give an accurate and 

 detailed description of its plumage. For this purpose I shall 

 again have recourse to Mr. Gould's " Birds of Asia," and 

 I'ejiroduce his elaborate description of the two sexes; — 



" The male has the forehead, crtiwn, and occiput purplish 

 oil green ; ear tufts glossy green; chin, throat, and sides and 

 back of the neck glossy changealde bluish-green ; back of 

 the neck, breast, and under surface deep shining grass green, 

 with shades of purple (jn the back of the neck and upper part 

 of the bi'east ; feathers of the back and scajnilaries chesnut, 

 with bnffy shafts and two narrow lines of buff running round 

 each, about equi-distant from each other and the margin ; 

 lower ]iart of the back and upper tail coverts light glaucous 

 grey ; shoulders and wing coverts light greenish-grey, washed 

 with purple; primaries brown on the internal web, toothed 

 with dull white at the base ; outer web greyer and 

 irregularly banded with dull white; tertiaries brown, fi-eckled 

 with grey, and mai'gined first with greenish-grey and then 

 with reddish chesnut; centre iif abdomen and thighs blackish- 

 In-own ; tail glaucous grey, slightly fringed with ]nirplisli, 

 and with a series of black marks down the centre, opposite to 

 each other at the base of the feathers, where they assume a 

 hand-like form ; as they advance towards the tip the\- 

 gradually become more and more irregular, until thev are 



