RING PHEASANT. FEMALE. 
The female Ring Pheasant is less than the male ; she likewise wants the 
crimson carunculated skin on the cheeks; instead of this, they are covered 
with feathers, and intermixed with minute warty excrescences of a pale red, 
hardly distinguishable : the tail is much shorter and barred ; the colour of 
the plumage, like that of the common Pheasant, is a combination of brown, 
grey, rufous, and dusky colour. 
In their wild state they breed but once a year, at least in our climate, 
and form their nest, like Partridges, on the ground, laying from twelve to 
fifteen eggs, smaller' than those of the common Hen, laying one, in every 
two or three days. 
When reared in our Menageries, the female selects the most retired and 
darkest corner of her pen, where she forms a rude unshapely nest, with 
leaves, straiv, and whatever she can scrape together herself, which she pre- 
fers to any other materials prepared for her : the time of incubation is from 
twenty to twenty-five days, according to the temperature of the season, and 
the young as soon as hatched (like the rest of the gallinaceous tribe) run 
immediately on leaving the shell, following the mother like a brood of 
chickens. 
One circumstance should be particularly adverted to, that the Hen, 
whilst setting, should be kept in a place remote from noise and interrup- 
tion, and if somewhat under ground, she will be the less affected by thun- 
der storms, or any sudden variation of the weather. 
