File:Pheasants in covert and aviary (1912) (14750192126).jpg

Identifier: pheasantsincover00bart (find matches)
Title: Pheasants in covert and aviary
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Barton, Frank Townend, 1869-
Subjects: Pheasants
Publisher: London, J. Long, limited
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ked than any other alliedspecies. 41 PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY RauQe.—North-western Afghanistan and North Persia. Habits.—This extremely handsome species was firstdiscovered in 1884 by the members of the Afghan De-limitation Commission, and the Naturalist attached to theExpedition prepared some beautiful skins. Dr Aitchisoninforms us that the specimens of this Pheasant were all goton the banks of the Bala Murghab, where it occurs inconsiderable numbers in the tamarisk, and grass jungle grow-ing in the bed of the river. He stated that more than fourhundred were killed on the march of 30 miles up the river,and that the bird not only wades through the water to makefrom one point of advantage to another, but it also swims,and is apparently quite at home in the thickets where thereis always water to the depth of 2 or 3 feet. Theseswampy thickets afford good shelter, and in the morning andevening the Pheasants leave it for more dry and open country,where they pick up their food. 42
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CHAPTER V The Chinese Pheasant (Phasianus Torquatus) The Chinese Pheasant i^Pliasianus Torquatus) is a distinctspecies, originally introduced into Great Britain from China,to which the bird is indigfenous. According to authoritativeaccounts, it belongs to the North of China, and largequantities of frozen birds are sent down the market toPekin. In many respects the Chinese Pheasant resembles thecommon Pheasant i^P. Colchicus), but it has the distinctivewhite ring around its neck, from which the specific nameTorquatus has been derived. In pure-bred specimensthis ring is complete, whereas, in the Pheasants found inBritish game preserves, there may be only traces of thisring, as these birds are hybrids, derived from the Chineseand the common Pheasant, with a certain amount of JapanesePheasant intermingled. Therefore, in spite of the fact thatthe Chinese Pheasant as a progenitor, stamps its distinctivefeatures on the hybrid, the latter has a tendency to revertto the black-necked Pheasant,

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