70 PHASIANID^E. 



are full grown, but the hens remain with the mother even 

 till the spring of the next year, at which time all ties are 

 dissolved. 



The adult male Pheasant measures from the tip of the 

 beak to the extremity of the tail about thirty-six inches, and 

 the female twenty-six inches. Bill pale yellowish horn-colour ; 

 irides yellow ; sides of the head bare, granulated, crimson, 

 minutely speckled with black. This part is considerably 

 brighter and more conspicuous in the spring. The splendid 

 tints of green, blue, and violet metallic reflections cannot 

 be described. The tail has eighteen feathers, the middle 

 feathers the longest, and the outer ones the shortest. Legs 

 and feet strongly scaled, and furnished with spurs about 

 three-fourths of an inch long. 



The entire colouring of the male bird is a rich chestnut 

 brown, transversely barred with metallic black on the under 

 parts, and finely pencilled and varied above with black and 

 white, green, violet, and brown. The quills are reddish dusky, 

 like those of partridges. The hen bird is very plainly attired 

 in a light brown garb, with markings of dusky all over the 

 plumage ; the beak is dusky brown, and the iris dusky. 



The egg figured 148 is that of the Pheasant. 



