CHAPTER XIV 



The Golden Pheasant {Thaumalea Picta) 



The Golden Pheasant, belonging to the genus Thaumalea, 

 species Picta, is a most beautiful variety, and one that is 

 highly esteemed for the aviary, being hardy and thriving 

 well in confinement. 



These Pheasants are natives of the Western Central 

 Districts of China, and were well known during the time 

 of Linnaeus (1766); in fact, this eminent Naturalist gave 

 a description of these birds, though evidently unaware that 

 they were indigenous to Eastern Europe. Goldsmith, in 

 his History of the Earth and Animated Nature, refers to 

 the Golden Pheasant under the name of Phasianus Pictus, 

 to which genus neither the Golden or the Amherst Pheasants 

 belong, but exclusively to that of Thaumalea, characterised 

 by the presence of a " Crest " or " Circlet " of feathers, 

 proceeding from the top of the head, and pointing back- 

 wards, and also by a "Tippet" encircling the neck along 

 the upper border and sides. 



Being a hardy variety, the Golden Pheasant does very 

 well reared in outdoor aviaries, or for that matter, it thrives 

 well under the same conditions as the Phasianus Colchicus 

 (Common Pheasant), and the young birds are as able to 

 forage for themselves quite as freely as any other species 

 of gallinaceous birds. 



Although the male birds have such gorgeous plumage, 

 the hens are exceedingly plain in appearance, a rule that 

 invariably exists throughout bird life. 



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