THE PHEASANT FAMILY 21 



thrive better in hot summers, and are 

 therefore more suited to southern counties 

 than for Scotland and the north country ; 

 in fact one might almost, without fear 

 of exaggeration, describe the Mongolian 

 as a bird of delicate constitution, when 

 compared with the other members of the 

 family. He is a peaceable bird too, and 

 when turned down in small numbers may 

 sometimes be driven forth by the pheasants 

 in possession, and may thus come by a bad 

 name for straying habits, as little justified 

 under fair conditions as the singular stay- 

 at-home tendencies claimed for him by 

 prejudiced admirers. 



While one in ten pure Mongolian 

 cocks are spurless, all are distinguished 

 from all other covert species by dispensing 

 with the customary male adornment of 

 ear-tufts in spring. The Mongolian strain 

 exercises an enduring influence on stock, 

 and many years after any have been 

 turned out, birds will be killed bearing 

 the distinctive mark of the blood — the 

 bronze-red throat-feather. 



