Overseas. 39 



The pheasant has also been introduced into several of the 

 islands of the Pacific. By the kindness of Lieut. C. de 

 Crespigny, of H.M.S. Curagoa, I received a speciaien of the 

 pheasant breeding in the Samoan Islands. This pheasant is 

 undoubtedly of the Chinese ring-necked species, the neck 

 being nearly surrounded by the distinguishing white collar, 

 but there is a considerable difference in the colour of the neck 

 at the base and the scapular feathers, which are much lighter 

 than in our ordinary species. 



The Chinese pheasant was introduced by the Portuguese 

 into the island of St. Helena in the year 1513, and has 

 increased in numbers to a very considerable extent ; but 

 the present representatives of the original stock differ some- 

 what from their ancestors, both in the colour and markings 

 of the plumage, as is described in the chapter on that 

 species. 



Very successful attempts have been made to introduce 

 the different species of pheasants into North America as game 

 birds, where in many parts they have become thoroughly 

 acclimatised. The original stocks from whence the pheasants 

 in the Western States are descended were imported direct 

 from China, consequently the ring-necked pheasant (P. 

 torquatus) is common in localities where the old English 

 pheasant (P. colchicus) is almost unknown, although the latter 

 has been introduced into the Eastern States on the Atlantic 

 sea-board. 



The earliest recorded attempt at introduction was made 

 by Eichard Bache more than a century ago. He imported 

 birds from England and hberated them on his estate in 

 New Jersey, but, in spite of every care in feeding and pro- 

 tecting them, none survived the ensuing winter. A second 

 attempt, made some years later in the same State, had a 

 precisely similar ending. Subsequently Eobert Oliver, of 

 Harewood, Baltimore, turned out, on different estates, a con- 

 siderable stock bred from imported birds, but though some 

 of these did well for a time they ultimately disappeared. 



