PSEASANTS FOR COVERTS ^AND AVIARIES. 



throughout southern and central Europe; the Chinese 

 (P. torquatus) ; the Japanese (P. versicolor) ; the Eeeves 

 {P. reevesii) ; SLudi the Scemmerring {P. soemmerringii). These, 

 howeTer, are so closely related in their structurej fornix and 

 habits, that their natural history and general management 

 may be given once for all, and their distinctive peculiarities 

 pointed out subsequently. 



The pheasants constituting the genus Phasianus are 

 readily distinguished by their extremely elongated tail 

 feathers, which attain, their maximum development in the 

 Eeeves pheasant, reaching in that species to a length 

 exceeding five or six feet. They are all destitute of feathered 

 crests or fleshy combs, but are furnished with small tufts of 

 feathers behind the eyes. In their native state they are 

 essentially forest birds, frequenting the margins of woods, 

 coming into the open tracts in search of food, and retreating 

 into the thick underwood at the slightest cause for alarm. 

 The common pheasant, which has been introduced from its 

 native country, Asia Minor, for upwards of a thousand years, 

 though spread over the greater part of Europe, and more 

 recently introduced into America, Australia, aud New Zealand, 

 still retains its primitive habits. 



"It is," says Naumann, in his work on the "Birds of 

 Germany,'^ "certainly a forest bird, but not in the truest 

 sense of the term; for neither does it inhabit the densely 

 wooded districts, nor the depths of the mixed forest, unless 

 driven to do so. Small pieces of grove, where deep under- 

 bush and high grass grow between the trees, where thorn 

 hedges, berry-growing bushes, and water overgrown with 

 reeds, and here and there pastures and fields are found, are 

 its chosen places of abode. Nor must well-cultivated and 

 grain-growing fields be wanting where this bird is to do well. 

 It neither likes the bleak mountain country nor dry saudy 

 places; nor does it frequent the pine woods unless for 

 protection against its enemies, or during bad weather, or at 

 night." 



