SOEMMERRING'S PHEASANT (_Phasianus Soemmerringii_) is also known under the
name of _Graphephasianus_, on account of its superior length of tail. The
plumage of this species is principally copper-red, almost all the feathers
having light borders; the centres of the upper wing and breast feathers
are blackish brown; those on the rump have their rounded tips edged with
golden yellow; the quills are brown, bordered with a paler tint; the eye
is yellow, the beak horn-grey, the foot lead-grey. The hen is copper-red,
marked with black, each feather edged with grey of various shades; those
on the thighs are striped pale red and black; the quills are greyish
brown, lightly bordered; the tail-feathers reddish, streaked with black
and marked with deep brown; the throat and centre of the belly are light,
and the lower belly dark grey.
This Pheasant, with which we became first acquainted through Dr. Siebold
and Temminck, received its name from the latter, in honour of Professor
Soemmerring, a distinguished naturalist.
Since the year 1860 the living bird has been brought to Europe, and those
in the Zoological Gardens, London, produced a brood in June, 1865.
"The female," says Mr. Bartlett, "laid about ten eggs, but only three or
four birds were hatched, and these died. The _Phasianus Soemmerringii_
at the Antwerp Gardens also bred, but we are unable to say if the
young arrived at maturity. In both places the males exhibited a strong
inclination to destroy the females, and we come to the conclusion that the
species is ill-adapted to breed in captivity."