160 POPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 
both this species and the golden are easily domesticated, and 
permitted to roam at will. 
The Reeves Pheasant, (Syrmaticus recvesi), of northern 
China, is a most beautiful species, closely related to the 
Japanese, Elliott, Hume and Soemmerring pheasants,—all of 
them fine, showy birds. Like the Amherst, the Reeves 
Pheasant has a very long tail, which in fully adult or old 
male birds often attains a length of five feet. When you 
see in captivity a pheasant with an enormously long tail, 
it is safe to assume that it is either an Amherst or a Reeves. 
The Soemmerring Pheasant, (Phasianus socimmerringit), 
sometimes very aptly called the Copper Pheasant, is a native 
of Japan, and a bird of whieh any country might well be 
proud. In size, form and length of tail it matches the com- 
mon ring-necked pheasant. Its head and neck plumage is 
of a warm copper-bronze tint, but its most beautiful colors 
are found in the elaborate cross-bar markings of its tail. 
The pattern of the latter reveals first a strong cross-bar of 
chocolate brown, above that a broad band of fawn-color, 
and this blends into a mottling of black on cream-color, 
edged across with black. 
The True Ring-Necked Pheasant, (P. torquatus), of China, 
brings to view a question that frequently is asked regarding 
the English Pheasant, (P. colchicus), which is the common 
species of southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, and of 
Great Britain and other continental areas by tntroduction. 
We are asked, ‘‘Has the English Pheasant a white ring 
around its neck, or not?’’ 
The answer 1s, the true, pure-blooded English, or Common 
Pheasant, (P. colchicus), has no ring around its neck; but so 
many persons have crosséd the true Ring-Necked Pheasant, 
of China, with that species that in many flocks of the former 
species the majority of the individuals are of mixed breed, 
with necks perceptibly ringed, yet passing as English Pheas- 
ants. Asa matter of fact, in the world to-day, pure-blooded 
English Pheasants are rare. Both the English and Ring- 
Necked species have been successfully introduced into sev- 
eral portions of the United States. 
While on this subject, we will here record the fact that 
the name Mongolian Pheasant, as often applied to the Ring- 
Neck, is a misleading error. The real Mongolian Pheasant, 
of Turkestan, (P. mongolicus), is a species of such extreme 
rarity that it is almost unknown, alive. in the United States. 
A fine pair of these birds is now on exhibition at the Pheas- 
ant Aviary. 
