PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



part dull greenish-yellow, with transverse black bars, exterior 

 to which is a broad longitudinal band of dull red, then the 

 broad loose margin, glossed with green and purple. The 

 lateral feathers are gradually more mottled with black. The 

 upper wing coverts are dull yellow, the inner edged with dull 

 red ; the quills, wood -brown tinged with grey, barred with 

 greyish-yellow ; their coverts similar. 



" The esophagus is 9 inches long. The crop commences at 

 4 inches from the top. The stomach is 2^ inches long. 

 The intestine 6 feet 6 inches ; of which the duodenal portion 

 is II, the rectum 6. The csca are i6|- inches long, their 

 greatest diameter H, their extremity obtuse. 



" Length to end of tail, 35 inches ; extent of wings, 32 ; 

 bill along the back, i j ; along the edge of the lower mandible, 

 i^ ; tarsus, 3 ; first toe, ^, its claw, 2>i twelfths ; second toe, 

 I J, its claw, 5|- twelfths ; third toe, 2, its claw, ^ ; fourth toe, 

 2, its claw, ^. 



" Length of another individual, 35 inches ; wing from 

 flexure, loj; tail, 20 J ; bill along the back, i^^; along the 

 edge of the lower mandible, i^*^ ; tarsus, 2| ; first toe, ^, its 

 claw, j^ ; second toe, i ]^, its claw, $^ twelfths ; third toe, aj, 

 its claw,Y2- ; fourth toe, i^^, its claw, ^ ; spur, \. 



"The female of this variety I am unable to distinguish 

 from that of the other or common kind. 



" There is before me at present an individual in all respects 

 similar to that above described, only that the ring is reduced 

 to a slight spot on each side of the neck, four or five feathers 

 there having a white tip. Were these five feathers pulled out, 

 there would be no difference between it and the common 

 bird. 



"In general the common ringless Pheasant has the colours 

 somewhat deeper than the ringed variety ; but in both kinds 

 there are slight variations in the colouring. Individuals 



74 



