Hans Stefani—Eared Pheasants



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birds it is not possible to distinguish the sexes with certainty. Eared

Pheasants are monogamous. In captivity they lay from 15 to 30 eggs.

In the wild state, on the other hand, they are said to lay only about

eight eggs. The laying period begins in April. Every second day, but

at the beginning only every third day, the hen lays one egg, which is

light greenish-grey.


In captivity they do not often hatch their own eggs ; it is generally

necessary to make use of broody hens as fosters.


The chickens grow uncommonly rapidly, producing the beautiful

feathers of the adults in the autumn of the first year of their lives,

that is, at the age of a few months, and after that they can scarcely

be distinguished from the old birds. No other kinds of pheasant grows

so rapidly.


Of the three species of Crossoptilon, the Brown, the Blue, and

the White, only the first mentioned is comparatively frequently

found with us in captivity. It bears the scientific name of Crossoptilon

manchuricum, apparently because it is not found in Manchuria !

Indeed, its home is the most southern part of Mongolia. According

to Beebe ( Monograph of the Pheasants) it is found to the west of Pekin,

in the district traversed by the Hoangho, which are for the most part

very wild. It is therefore not sensitive to the influences of weather, and

can easily bear even strenuous cold.


The Brown Eared Pheasant, or Manchurian Crossoptilon, is not

suitable for small enclosures. In such he almost always shows a vice

which completely destroys his beauty. In order to pass his time he

for the most part becomes a feather-eater ; one bird bites off the

beautiful tail feathers of its companion, so that the Pheasants, in such

a mutilated condition, with their tails not unlike brushes, no longer

have any claim to beauty. It is quite different, however, when they

are at liberty and where a large garden is at their disposal. There they

have other occupations, and also of course much more varied food,

because, although they are for the most part herbivorous, they also

do not despise insects and worms. When kept in this way they do not

adopt the vice of eating feathers, and they always appear in their full

beauty. Also when kept in freedom they enter into much more intimate

relations with their keeper than if they are compelled to pass a miserable



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