400 



The Living Animals of the World 



Photo hij V. Iteid] 



t WUhaw, N.B. 



GOLDEN PHEASANT. 

 This bird is often kept lu aviaiies, on account of its magnificent livery. 



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



this display is repeated . . but they seem careful not 



to run against each 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 moving about 



quickly a few yards 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 



you can easily think they are moving to the measure of 



nrusic." 



The prairie-hens of America possess great economic 

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

 Islands, enormous numbers of i)rairie-hens being exported 

 to Euroj^e every year, 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 kaiiaia, which renders the flesli poisonous. 



The Sage-gkou.se 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. From the 

 book containing the above lively description we cull the 

 following : — ■ 



"Early one morning in the first week in March, 1877, 

 I had the long-wished-for opportunity to observe the actions 

 of a single cock while paying court to several females near 

 him. . . His large, pale yellow air-sacs were fully inflated. 



Every few minutes 



Plwlobi/ IF. P. Dando, F.Z.S., Regent's Park. 



GOLDEN PHKASANT. 



Tliia bird is moulting. In full dress tlio cape seen in 



the upper nfnive is colden witli blue-black b:us. 



