400 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



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GOLDEN PHEASANT 



r/i/j hirJ is often kept in at'iarics, on account of its magnificent li'very 



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GOLDEN PHEASANT 



This bird is moulting. In full dress tile caf>e seen 

 in the ufper figure is golden luith bluc-hlack bars 



which may be heard for at least two miles in the still 

 morning air. Every few minutes this displa}' is repeated 

 . . . but they seem careful not to run against eacli other, 

 for they have not yet got to the fighting-point. After a 

 little while the lady birds begin to show an interest in 

 the proceedings, by mo\'ing about quickl}' a fe\\' \-ards at 

 a time, and then standing still a short time. When these 

 actions are continued by a large number of birds at a 

 time, it presents a funny sight, and )'ou can easily think 

 they arc mo\-ing to the measure of music." 



The prairie-hens of /Vmerica possess great economic 

 value, as great, indeed, as the red grouse of the British 

 Islands, enormous numbers of prairie-hens being exported 

 to Europe ex-cry )-ear, whilst still greater numbers are 

 consumed by the American people themselves. It is said 

 that American grouse will sometimes eat the shoots of 

 a plant called kaliniit, which renders the flesh poisonous. 



The Sac.E-ckouse is a rather large bird, attaining a 

 weight of 8 lbs., found in the Western United States; it 

 is, indeed, the largest of the American grouse. Its court- 

 ing habits resemble those of the prairie-hens. Erom the 

 book containing the above lively description we cull the 

 following : — 



" I-'arly one morning in the first week in March, 1877, 

 Ihad thelong-vvished-for opportunity to observe the actions 

 of a single cock while paying court to several females near 

 him. . . . His large, paleycUow air-sacs were fully inflated, 



