452 On Hybrids produced in a Wild State, &c. 
Black , . , Cock 
Cock. ***** Pheasant. 
In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. 
Length of bill to rictus, "id -ii J 12 15 14 
tarsus, ; i<n ,-. .2231 31 
middle toe, . ,,,,*.; : , 1 10 20 1 11 
to nail, 08 07 07 
hind toe, . ^\ 05 07 08 
to nail, 4 04 04 
Fourth quill longest in hybrid and black-grouse ; 3d, 4th, and 5th 
equal in pheasant.* Tail of hybrid extending 5J inches beyond 
closed wing, rounded on expansion, containing 17 feathers, all but 
the longest being regularly matched, it has probably lost one ; 18 
is the number both in the pheasant and black-grouse. Bill in form 
differing only from the pheasant in having the upper mandible less 
arched. Tarsi and toes in form like the pheasant, but having many 
more plates; tarsi, bare on the sides and behind, but feathered in front 
for half their length. Naked skin about the eye equalling in extent 
the pheasant's, but differing in form both from it and the black-cock's 
merely appearing in advance of the eye, but broadening out to the 
extent of half an inch just behind it. There is none above the eye 
as in the latter bird. Form of the feathers on the head, neck, breast, 
back, belly, and under tail-coverts, intermediate between the two spe- 
cies ; of the scapulars and wings approximating to those of the black 
grouse. The quills are similar, those of the tail unlike either species. 
In colour the hybrid has head, neck, breast, and belly black, each 
feather when viewed in the light, terminating in a band of a rich 
claret colour tinged with gold, which decreases in breadth down- 
wards, until at the lower part of the belly it disappears. On lay- 
ing back the breast feathers, the inner ones exhibit about an inch or 
less from the tip, a somewhat semicircular band of a cream colour ; 
the inner feathers at upper part of the back similarly examined, 
shew the cream-coloured marking of the pheasant, the remainder of 
the feather black, terminating in a claret colour. Upper part of the 
back, wings, and tail, not resembling either sex of black-grouse or 
pheasant, but have a soft blending of grey, brownish-yellow, and black, 
beautifully undulated ; quills differing only from the black-cock's in 
the shafts being blackish-brown. Tail-feathers obscurely undulated 
with black and brownish- yellow, and transversely barred with black, 
the bars on the outer feathers occupying as much space as the mot- 
tled plumage, their tips black for about 1^ inches ; this colour gra- 
dually lessens towards the central feathers, the five longest being 
* By pheasant the male bird is meant throughout, when not otherwise ex- 
pressed. 
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