62, NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PHEASANT 



A second specimen was procured in Bohemia in 1886, 

 and sent to the Royal Museum. It was a fine cock 

 bird. A pheasantry had been estabhshed in the 

 neighbourhood of Zfele in a portion of a wood much 

 frequented by blackgame ; the pheasants had tlius 

 been brought into contact with the black-grouse, and 

 this hybrid was the result of some irregular alliance. 

 Dr. Fritsch considered that a pheasant had been the 

 male parent of this bird. 



Before quitting the subject of pheasant hybrids, 

 some mention must be made of the capercailzie inter- 

 breeding with the pheasant. Mr. James Lumsden, of 

 Arden, recorded the first authenticated instance of 

 such a mule, on the strength of a specimen shot at 

 Arden, Dumbartonshire, on November 8, 1890 : 'It 

 was observed feeding in a corn field along with some 

 pheasants, and on being disturbed ran a considerable 

 distance before taking wing. It shows very clearly 

 the characteristics of both species in both plumage 

 and shape. So far as I know, this is the first instance 

 of those species breeding together, and it would be 

 interesting if we could state with certainty how the 

 hybrid is bred. We have, however, no proof of this, 

 and it is impossible to say if it is between a capercailzie 

 cock and pheasant hen or the reverse. When shooting 

 the wood near where it was shot we saw both cock and 



