102



G. H. Edwards—Pheasants



A New Pheasant


We have seen how the Pheasant, such a familiar sight in the country¬

side of these Islands, has been interbred. We know that the Pheasant,

now commonly called the English Ringneck (P. colchicus) is the result

of the hybridization of four Pheasants, but colchicus is the strongest

blood. The English Ringneck now breeds almost true to type in many

districts. It is possible to tell, from observation, the predominant

blood of a Pheasant, for it will be borne in mind that although such

extensive hybridization has merged the general characteristics of each

species, certain features will give the clue to the strongest blood ; for

instance, a black-collared bird will give you an idea of the old Black-

neck ; a white collar will show the Pheasant to be a hybrid with a

predominance of Chinese blood ; the Mongolian blood results in a

lighter, and somewhat larger Pheasant. The clue to' Versicolor blood

is that the Pheasant has greenish and darker feathering.


Some fifteen years ago, a new Pheasant appeared in Britain. It

was a mutant, and it was later discovered in other parts of Europe.

It is now fairly common in this country, and is known as Phasianus

tenebrosus, or the Black Pheasant. The hen, as is the case with all

mutant Pheasants, is chocolate in colour.


Perhaps the Original Pheasant


A popular theory is that P. tenebrosus is a “ sport ” from the mixed

blood of our Pheasants, but many authorities do not subscribe to that

view. They hold that if it is a “ sport ”, th e first pair caught up would

not have bred true to type, as in fact they did.


Many believe in the reasonable theory that this Pheasant is a

reversion to an old type—possibly the original Pheasant as it appeared

many millions of years ago. It is thrilling to think that when we look

at the Black Pheasant, we are looking at a bird that walked the earth

when man was primitive and as wary as the Pheasant itself. So many

types of phasianus have been hybridizing in Great Britain and Europe

for centuries that it is possible that it has brought out the oldest

and strongest blood, and re-created, as it were, the original bird from

which in course of millions of years, the various species evolved. Let

it be said, too, that the Black Pheasant is extremely virile, and the



