PAINTED CHINESE PHEASANT. 
bt distinguished by tlie appearance of die eyes 
and the length of the taiL This remarkable 
change of colour takes place in most females ; 
and commences at four years old, when the 
males take a dislike to them, and treat them 
harshly: the long, narrow feathers, which in the 
males lay over the tail, begin then to appear ; 
and, as they grow older, they become more 
and more like the male. This, singular as it 
may seem, BufFon ingeniously observes, in a 
certain degree happens to ail animals. 
Edwards remarks, that he saw, at the Duke 
of Leeds's, a Common Pheasant, the plumage 
of which had, in the same manner, becom.s 
like that of the male. He adds, that such 
changes of colours seldom take place, except 
among birds whkh live in the donicstic state. 
The eggs of the Painted Pheasant greatly 
resemble those of the pintado. They are pro- 
portionally smailcr than a hen's, and redder 
than those of the Common Pheasant. 
Sir Hans Sloane kept a male of tliis spe- 
cies, which had been imported from China, 
nearly hftccn years. 
