CHAPTER VIII 



PHEASANTS 



The birds of this order (Galliformes) are of the greatest 

 value to man, from an economic point of view. The domes- 

 tic fowl, the guinea-fowl, the turkey, the pheasants and pea- 

 fowl, the grouse, quail and partridges, all are included. 

 Each holds an important place in our economy, and farmer, 

 gourmand and sportsman are indebted to them for much. 

 Many of the groups are pre-eminent as pets, or at least for 

 ornamental purposes, while others, such as the grouse, do 

 not thrive in captivity, except under special conditions. 

 Only the hardier families will be considered here. 



Pheasants 



Pheasants * are known to every one — ^to milady, perhaps, 

 by the drooping tail feathers with which she was once wont 

 to adorn her hat; to the sportsman and farmer as the 

 splendid game birds which are increasing so rapidly in our 

 depleted coverts. In spite of this widespread general ac- 

 quaintance, however, it is remarkable that comparatively 

 few people are aware of the fact that there are nearly one 

 hundred species of pheasants, most of which thrive in cap- 

 tivity with but little more attention than is required for 

 domestic fowls. Even among many of those to whom some 

 knowledge of these birds has brought the realization that 

 there are other pheasants than the Ring-neck the idea is 



* Reprinted in part from an article by the author, published in The 

 Field Illustrated, August 2, 1913. By permission of the Advanced 

 Agricultural Pub. Co., Inc. 



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