PHEASAXT. 13 



In some districts, however, they prevail to a great extent; and Mr. Selby says that in 

 his neighbourhood, (Twizel,) they have nearly superseded the common kind. 



Pure white Pheasants, and individuals pied with white in every variety, are common 

 enough, and some of these latter exhibit great beauty of markings. The pure white 

 plumage is said to be assumed most frequently by the female bird, and those which have 

 come under our notice have certainly borne out the remark. 



Hybrid Pheasants are not very rare, but as they are always unproductive, they possess 

 but little interest for the naturalist or sportsman, and it is only necessary to state that 

 the cross with the domestic fowl is not uncommon, and that instances are on record in 

 which the Pheasant has paired with the Black Grouse, Guinea Fowl, and even the Turkey, 

 and an hybrid offspring has been produced. 



The Pheasant, in our preserves, is certainly polygamous, and when the male bird has 

 selected his 'beat,' he commences clapping his wings, and crowing, which is a defiance 

 to any other male birds that may hear it, as well as a call note for the females; before, 

 however, he can consider himself the lord and master of the latter, he must conquer 

 and expel from his territory all of his ovrn sex. We have qualified the assertion that 

 this bird is polygamous, by saying that it is so in our preserves; under certain circum- 

 stances it is as certainly monogamous; on this point we quote the experience of Mr. 

 J. E. Garrett, as detailed in Thompson's "Natural History of Ireland." — He says, "But 

 I have on several occasions known the cock to accompany the hen and her young brood, 

 'leading them about,' until the latter were able to take care of themselves. In these 

 instances the parent birds had, (as the species is prone to do.) strayed beyond their 

 'preserves' at the breeding season ; and the circumstance of their having paired while thus 

 enjoying full liberty, tends to confirm the view expressed by Mr. Macgillivray, (British 

 Birds, vol. i., page 273,) where, speaking of the Rock Dove, he observes, 'It is monogamous, 

 as I apprehend all wild birds, even the Gallinaceous, are.' " 



There can be no doubt that observations upon the habits of birds in the partially 

 domesticated state that our preserved Pheasants are, may prove erroneous as applied to 

 the same birds in a state of nature, and Ave are inclined to believe with Macgillivray 

 that these birds are really monogamous ; and it is quite possible that the fact of strayed 

 birds, like those mentioned in the above extract, bringing out larger broods than those 

 that are more domesticated, as mentioned elsewhere, may be accounted for by pairing 

 being the natural instinct, while polygamy is the result of the artificial state in which 

 they exist in the preserves. TTe merely throw out this suggestion, which must be taken 

 for what it is worth: — During the summer, autumn, and winter, the cock Pheasants 

 ciate together, and keep apart from the females entirely; the only exception is during 

 the spring, and even then, when semi-domesticated and polygamous, the association, as we 

 have above hinted, is not so perfect as might be the case in a complete state of nature. 



