CHEER PHEASANT. 43 



not cat ffra ; ss or leaves like all the rest of our Pheasants. It is 



o 



easy to rear in confinement, and might, without dilliculty, be na- 

 turalized in England, if it would stand the long frosts and snows 

 of severe winters, which I imagine is rather doubtful. The 

 female makes her nest in the grass or amongst low bushes, 

 and lays from nine to fourteen eggs, of a dull white, and 

 rather small for so large a bird. They are hatched about 

 the end of May or beginning of June. Both male and female 

 keep with the young brood, and seem very solicitous for their 

 safety. 



"This bird flies rather heavily and seldom very far. Like most 

 others, it generally utters a few loud screeches on getting up, and 

 spreads out the beautifully barred feathers of its long tail, both 

 when flying and running. It does not perch much on trees, but 

 will occasionally fly up into one close by, when put up by dogs. 

 It roosts on the ground generally, and when congregated together, 

 the whole flock huddle up in one spot. They will however at 

 times roost in trees or bushes." 



Other true Pheasants besides P. colchicus are P. torguatus, or 

 the ring-necked Pheasant of China, which differs from the common 

 one by having a white ring round the neck, and the back being 

 green. It is figured by Gould, Birds of Asia, pt. VIII., pi. 1 ; and 

 another species, P. mongolicus, has been lately described by Gould. 

 P. versicolor, Vieillot, (Diardi, Teram.) figured by Gould, Birds 

 of Asia, pt. IX., pi. 1, from Japan, has frequently interbred 

 with the common and ringed Pheasants in England. The 

 gorgeous P. Reevesii, Gray (veneratus, Teram.) from China, and 

 badly figured in Hardwicke's 111. Ind. Zool, is placed under 

 Syrmaticus, of Wagler. P. Soemmeringii, Teram., from Japan, a 

 fine species with coppery red plumage, is placed by Reichenbach 

 as Graphophasianus. 



The Golden Pheasants form a pretty distinct group, Thaumalea, 

 Wagler, ( Chrysolophus, Gray). They have the head crested, and 

 a sort of ruff or tippet round the back of the neck, and a very 

 long tail. There are two species, one the well-known Golden 

 Pheasant, Thaumalea picta, from China, said to extend west in 

 Central Asia, as far as Orenbourg ; and deemed by Cuvier to be 



