534 JVfr. hunter’s Account of 
hen, nearly under the fame circumftances as have been 
above defcribed. 
Lady tynte had a favourite pyed pea-hen, which 
had produced chickens eight feveral times ; having 
moulted when fhe was about eleven years old, lhe 
aftonifhed the lady and her family by the feathers pe- 
culiar to the other fex, and appearing like a pyed pea- 
cock. In this procefs the tail, which was fimilar to that 
of a cock, firft appeared after moulting. In the follow- 
ing year, fhe moulted again, and produced the fame fea- 
thers. In the third year fhe did the fame : at the fame 
time fhe had fpurs fimilar to thofe of a cock. She died 
in the following winter during the hard frofl, namely, 
in the winter I 77 {. She never bred after this change in 
her plumage. This bird is now preferved in the Mufeum 
of Sir ASHTON LEVER (t) . 
From what has been related of thefe two birds, may 
it not reafonably be inferred, that it feems probable, that 
all thofe wild pheafants of the female fex, which are 
(b) It might be fuppofed, that this bird was really a cock which had been 
changed for a hen ; but the following fa£ts put this matter beyond a doubt, 
Firft, there was no other pyed pea-fowl in the country. Secondly, the hen had 
knobs on her toes, which were the fame after her change. Thirdly, (he was 
as fmall after the change as before, therefore too fmail for acock. Fourthly* 
fhe was a favourite bird, and was generally fed by the lady, and ufed to come 
for her meat, which fhe hill continued to do after the change in the feathers. 
found 
