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Hans Stefani—Eared Pheasants



Eed-crested Cotingas ( Heliochera ruhrocristata), of which I had seven

but these have such exceptionally thick plumage, are gluttonous

feeders, and consequently become very fat. Another time I would

strictly diet them. The beautiful Scarlet-bellied Tanager ( Poecilothraupis

lunulatus) from the same altitude, 12,000 feet, all lived and arrived

here safely.


{To he continued.)



EARED PHEASANTS


By Hans Stefani (Neuss, Germany).


Amongst all the kinds of pheasants hitherto known, the Eared

Pheasants or Crossoptilons show the greatest tameness and familiarity

towards human beings. After a short period of training they can be

kept in the open without any hesitation, if their owner has a fenced-in

garden at disposal which is not too small. To begin with, for reasons

of safety, it would be desirable to cut the wing feathers of one wing.

However, when they have become familiarized with the local conditions,

and when, after moulting, the cut wing feathers grow again, it is not

to be feared that they will fly away, but of course in stating this it is

assumed that they will not be chased by dogs.


The Eared Pheasant quickly gets to know his attendant, and follows

him like a dog, if he is trained by little bits of food being given him

from time to time. Strangers, but also many persons that he has got

to dislike in his daily intercourse, the cock especially will attack by

pecking severely with his beak. In this connection it is often amusing

to observe how the very appearance of such a person leads the Eared

Pheasant cock to run up quickly, even from a considerable distance,

in order to drive the person whom he regards as an interloper out of

his reach.


Both sexes are of the same colour. The hen can only be distinguished

from the cock by the absence of the spur. The cock, however, only

grows the spur during the second year of his life, so that in younger





