CHAPTER XIII. 



PHEASANTS ADAPTED FOR THE COVERT (CONTINUED). 



SCEMMEREING'S PHEASANT {PSASIANUS 

 S(EMMEEBINQII). 



lCEMMEE/EING'S pheasant is a second exquisitely beautiful species 

 inhabiting Japan, in parts of which it is very numerous, being 

 commonly exposed for sale in the markets of Nagasaki. In 

 other districts of the country its place seems to be supplied by 

 the JPhasicmus versicolor. The bird was known to Temminck by 

 the dried skins"; but recently the living animal has been intro- 

 duced into aviaries in Europe, and it has bred in the zoological 

 gardens in London and Antwerp. In the Regent's Park Garden it 

 first bred, according to Mr. Bartlett, in 1865, when the female laid 

 ten eggs, but only a few birds were hatched, and the young birds died in a few 

 days. Since then the breeding has been more successful, and mature specimens 

 have been reared. 



The species, however, is but Ul-adapted to breed in confinement, as the males 

 are excessively pugnacious — ^not only destroying one another, but even killing the 

 females. This tendency is probably developed by captivity, and no doubt, if placed 

 in a free range, Soemmerring's pheasant would prove as fertile as the other species, 

 but the experiment has never yet been tried. Mr. Bartlett, writing of this species 

 in Elliot's monograph, says : — " Amongst the Phasianidse some species are remark- 

 able for their pugnacious and fierce dispositions; not only the males, but frequently 

 the females destroy each other. The want of sufficient space and means of escape 

 among bushes, shrubs, and trees is no doubt the cause of many females being 

 killed when kept in confinement; and this serious misfortune is unhappily of no 

 rare occurrence. After the cost and trouble of obtaining pairs of these beautiful 

 birds, and they have recovered from their long confinement on the voyage, their 

 owner is desirous of . reaping a reward by obtaining an abundant supply of eggs as 

 the birds approach the breeding season, when, alas ! he finds that some disturbance 



