230 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



gTatified by the arrival of any iiifunnation respecting tlie 

 part of tlie Celestial l^npire in which it dwells, and any 

 details as to its habits. The bird wonld doubtless be as 

 easily kept in onr aviaries a^s its near ally, the Gohh'ii 

 Pheasant; and it is my ardent wish to see it thns located 

 before I leave this lower world for the hif^'lier and In'ighter 

 one which is the end of our hopes and desires." Every 

 ornithohjgist must feel glad that Mr. Gould had his wish 

 gratified. 



Since the arrival of Mr. Stone's specimens, Mr. Anderson, 

 the curator of the Indian Museum at Calcutta, has received 

 skins of both sexes fi-om Yunan and Upper Eurmah, where 

 it is not rare, the plumes being worn by the natives. 



The only account of the liabits of this beautiful species 

 in a wild state occurs in a letter from the Abbe Carreau, 

 a French missionary in Thibet, to the Paris Acclimatization 

 Society. He states : " The pheasant IliMia-::p.-Kii , the Plower 

 Pheasant of th(^ Cliin(>se, always inhabits verv rocky places. 

 Whenever I have seen this bird Hying upwards, [ ha\-e 

 always been a.ble to sluKjt it; Injt if it wa,s descending^ I 

 cduld not ]irocuro it, for then it disappeared with excessive 

 rapidity. After having pursueil it several times, 1 have 

 found it mort^ convenient to obtain it in tlie sami.' niannei- 

 as the natives, wdio lie in wait for it during the winter 

 ana catidi it in snares. A\'heii the inoinitains are covered 

 with snow, a,nd the streams frozen, the Flower Pheasants 

 are obliged to descend to the jilains lor water, but as soon 

 as the\' a,re satisfied they ascend again. In the paths these 

 birds follow each other in a, line: and as they go in flocks, 

 and the snares are few m nunilier, thi' Chinese do not make 

 much from the plumage and llesh of this beautiful jilieasant. 

 Ta-lin-pin is situated in the liDth degree of latitude N. and 

 the lOlind degree of hingitn(L" E. . the heat of tlicM' places 

 is very great, as they are surroundeil bv high moniitains, 

 and with very little vegetation. The mountanis are covered 

 with brambles, briars, and tliorns, and also with o-iassy 



