80 PHEASANTS. 



state, it is spread throughout the world. There exists a great 

 number of varieties of it. 



17. The Pheasants properly so called, have a long, cuneiform 

 tail, each of the quills of which being inclined on two planes, cover 

 each other like the shingles of a roof. To this group belongs 

 the Common Pheasant of Europe, which is also originally from 

 Asia, and which is also remarkable for the beauty of its plumage. 

 In the male, the top of the head and the upper part of the neck 

 are of a silver gray, which, in the reflections of light, seems to 

 change to blue. The feathers of the chest, of the shoulders, of 

 the middle of the back, as well as those of the sides beneath the 

 wings, have a blackish ground with purple edges on transverse 

 lines of gold colour ; the plumage of the female is not so beautiful 

 as that of the male : the iris is yellow and the eyes are placed 

 between two parts which are of a scarlet colour. It is said, that 

 the Pheasant was originally introduced into Europe by the 

 Argonauts from the banks of the river Phasis in Asia Minor. 



18. The Golden Pheasant, — Phasianus pictus, — f Plate 4. 

 fig. 11.) comes from China. It is one of the most beautiful birds 

 known : the belly is of a bright red ; a tuft of golden yellow 

 reclines from the top of the head ; the neck is surrounded by a 

 magnificent orange collar, sprinkled with black ; the upper part 

 of the back is green, and the lower part, as well as the rump, is 

 yellow: the wings are bright red with a beautiful spot of blue; 

 the tail, which is very long, is brown, spotted with gray. 



19. The Argus, — Phasianus argiis, — comes from the south of 

 Asia. The head and neck are nearly naked ; the tarsi are with- 

 out spurs, and the secondary feathers of the wings are covered 

 with eye-like spots, which, when the wings are spread, give the 

 bird a remarkable appearance, 



20. No true Pheasant has yet been discovered in America. 



21. The Grouse, — Tetrao,—are recognised by a naked and, 

 ordinarily, red strip, that occupies the place of the eye-brow. They 

 are very numerous and are divided into many sub-genera, the 

 principal of which are the following : 



22. 1st. The Heath-Cocks, have the tarsi covered with feathers 

 and without spurs, the toes naked, and the tail round or forked : 



17. How are Pheasants properly so called, characterised? From what 

 part of the world is the true Pheasant derived ? 



15. What are the characters of the Golden Pheasant? 



19. How is the Ar^us recognised? 



20. Is there any true Phea>ant in America? 



21. Ilow is the genus of Grouse recognised? What are the pri&cipal 

 Eub-ge:.era ? 



22. How may the Hea'.Ii-cocks be known ? 



