Pheasant Research Articles

Pheasant Penny

Pheasant Penny

Partridges and Pheasants

Partridges and Pheasants

RING PHEASANT

RING PHEASANT

How the Pheasant "Drums"

How the Pheasant "Drums"

Cocks and Hens

WHILST I was living at Highfield House in Nottinghamshire in 1879, a duck-wing game bantam injured her leg after she had been sitting for a fortnight, and could no longer remain on the eggs. The cock bird, however, took her place, and not only hatched the brood, but acted in all respects like a hen, brooding the young, setting his feathers up like a brood hen, and using the same peculiar cluck that a hen has for calling her chickens, also sleeping on the nest instead of his usual perch—being, in fact, a mother for the time. Years before (in 1841) one of my Dorking hens was accidentally killed, leaving a brood of chickens some five weeks old; the Dorking cock took to them and brought them up, but in this instance there was no change except the act of brooding.

Animal Intelligence

THE following instance of animal intelligence may interest some of your readers. While walking through the forest here the other day, I found a young jay upon the ground scarcely able to fly. As I stooped down to examine it I was somewhat startled by a swoop made at my head by the old birds, their wings actually touching my hat. Determined not to be driven away, I remained by the young bird, whereupon a succession of like swoops were made at my head; these I easily succeeded in parrying with my stick, although the old birds frequently came in different directions. After about a couple of minutes the old birds seem to have come to the conclusion that nothing could be achieved in this fashion, and one of them, flying to some little distance, kept calling to the younger one, who half hopped, half flew after her. I of course followed; and now occurred what seems to me a striking instance of animal sagacity. The pines here are covered with lichen and a long, hairy kind of moss, which easily crumbles into dust. The cock bird perched himself on the tree over my head, and began pecking with wonderful rapidity at this lichen and moss, so that, the moment I looked up, a shower of fine dust fell on my face. As I followed the young bird, the old one followed me, got on a branch as close to my head as he could, and sent a shower of dust down upon me. I can scarcely doubt that the dust, like the previous swoops, was intended rather to blind me than to distract my attention. Have instances of like sagacity—i.e. the apparent knowledge of the organ of vision and the means of injuring it—been noticed in jays before?

Nesting Habits of the Emu

I AM able fully to confirm Prof. Moseley's statement of the habits of the emu in nesting at Blenheim. Some years ago my father was very successful in rearing these birds at his place at Brockham Lodge, near Dorking. The first egg was usually laid shortly after Christmas; the total number of a brood being from fifteen to twenty, laid usually at intervals of about forty-eight hours. Some title before the full number was laid the cock bird would commence the incubation by carefully drawing them under him. When the hen bird was ready to add to their number she would sit dawn by his side, produce the egg, and her mate would then carefully draw it under him with his foot. As soon as the number was completed, it became necessary to seclude the hen bird, as she was from this time “vicious” towards her mate and towards her own eggs; and the seclusion continued until the young birds had attained a considerable size, as she showed every disposition to destroy them. The number of eggs laid was often too large for the cock bird to get comfortably under him. Still during several years that my father kept the birds a considerable number of eggs were annually hatched, and the young birds reared to the breeding age. No brood from native birds was, however, obtained. They showed no disposition to change the breeding season from January to July. In captivity the birds strikingly exhibited their singular inquisitive propensities. They were not usually vicious, except during the breeding season, but were very easily frightened.

Domestic Economy of Blackbirds

Two Blackbirds having built their nest in full view of my bedroom window, I have been much interested in watching the process of feeding their young, &c. The cock bird is the principal forager, and the food generally brought are worms. My object in writing is to draw attention to one feature which may be unknown to most of your readers as relates to the disposal of the young birds' droppings. If left in the nest, it would become filthy, if thrown aside the accumulation would lead to detection, and I believe the general impression is that the old birds carry the soil away; but on watching them closely I never saw the droppings carried away but on one occasion, and that by the hen; in every other instance after being fed, the young birds in turn lift up their tails and the droppings are taken by the old bird and actually swallowed. On the 15th July the young birds being fully fledged, were literally washed put of their nest by the downpour of rain on that day, but, with a little care, they all survived. On the 22nd the hen again returned to her nest, and she is now sitting closely on three eggs, and I hope to get the next brood photographed, I enclose my card and address, and should any readers of NATURE desire to witness what I have described, I shall be very glad to afford them an opportunity.

“Ring Blackbird”

THE bird about which your correspondent C. M. Ingleby inquires is figured in most works on Ornithology as the Ring Ousel—is a local, not uncommon, but generally exceedingly shy bird. Through the late severe weather, however, and for a few days after the thaw, a cock bird has been a daily and very interesting visitor on my lawn. They are generally found on commons and in the neighbourhood of retired copses, and are only driven by stress of weather so near houses.

XLIX.—Description of a remarkable new pheasant from Borneo

XLIX.—<i>Description of a remarkable new pheasant from Borneo</i>

Pheasants

Pheasants

Introduction of pheasants

Introduction of pheasants

Of Persons Poisoned by Eating Pheasants, or Partridges

Of Persons Poisoned by Eating Pheasants, or Partridges