THE PHEASANT IN HISTORY 



neux, and for miles back, pheasants were to be found 

 in great abundance.' Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier, the 

 well-known authority on pheasants, furnishes an 

 interesting note on the introduction of the Siberian 

 Pheasant into Samoa : ' Owing to the kindness of Lieu- 

 tenant de Crespigny, of H.M.S. "Curagoa," we have re- 

 ceived a specimen (male) of the pheasants which have 

 been turned out and are now 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 con- 

 siderable difference in the colour of the neck at the 

 base, and the scapulars, which are much lighter than 

 in our ordinary race.' ^ The specimen in question 

 was exhibited at a meeting of the British Ornitho- 

 logists' Club. In America, much time and money 

 has already been spent in the endeavour to naturalise 

 ring-necked and common birds, especially in Ohio, 

 Oregon, and British Columbia. Mr. Eugene Short, 

 the Commissioner of Fish and Game for Ohio, states 

 that ' in five years Ohio will have English pheasants 

 in the greatest abundance. Writing from Macomb, 

 in the State of Illinois, Mr. W. O. Blaisdell remarks 

 that Judge Denney, while American Minister in 

 China, during the Presidency of General Grant, 



' Zoologist, 1877, p. 25. " Field, January 19, 1895. 



