PHEASANT — RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 
139 
Order GALLING. 
Family PHASIANIDiE. 
PHEASANT. Fhasianus colchicus (Liunseus). 
“Bohemian Pheasant ” (variety), “Ping-necked Pheasant.” 
Probably introduced from Asia Minor by the Romans, but now resident and 
commonly distributed as a naturalized game-bird. — Major Gregory Knight in- 
formed me that be bad a Pheasant sitting on ten eggs on 12th Sept., 1888. This 
would, no doubt, be owing to the extraordinarily inclement and late season. 
Subject to much variation, owing to the crossing of the original stock with 
various foreign species, especially with the Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant, 
Fhasianus torquatus (Gmelin), originally introduced from China some hundred 
or so years ago, and which has interbred with the collarless, or “ Old English,” 
Pheasant to such an extent that it is now impossible to find either pure, except 
in China and Asia Minor respectively. What we must now term the ring-necked 
variety is undoubtedly the most common. Harley stated that this bird was 
introduced into the county in his day, but probably this was an error, and he 
appeared to think that it came originally from Bohemia, as he wrote : — “ The 
species, or variety, which the author has here indicated, is said to be Bohemian, 
and a native of the forests of that part of Europe.” I believe it has been, for 
some considerable time, quite wild in parts of Bohemia, but it certainly was 
not indigenous there. Probably Harley referred to the pale buff-coloured variety, 
such as we have in the “ Bickley Collection,” and which, though known as the 
“ Bohemian ” Pheasant, has nothing to do with the implied locality. Mr. 
Babington (Appendix ‘Potter,’ p.. 68), stated that hybrids between Pheasant 
and Fowl occasionally occur in Birchwood, near Charley. Lord Ferrers has, at 
Staunton, two hybrids between Pheasant and Grey Hen ; they were bred in South 
Wood, and strayed into one of the Staunton woods, where the keeper shot them. 
Sir Arthur Hazlerigg shot at Noseley, some years since, a pure white variety, 
which I have, by his permission, examined. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — The most beautiful variety I have 
ever seen is in the possession of the Earl of Gainsborough. It is of enormous 
size, half as large again as an ordinary Pheasant, and of most striking and 
singular plumage. The head is dusky-green ; the breast Pheasant or Fowl-like ; 
thighs of the normal colour (very large) j the mantle, back, and tail are like those 
of the Silver Pheasant. It was bred from imported eggs, and shot, many years 
ago, at Exton Park. 
RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. Caccabis rufa (Linnaeus). 
Resident, but sparingly distributed. — The call of this bird is quite different 
from that of the common Partridge, and is expressed by “ Chuk, Chuk, Chukar, 
