Though their feathers are similar in color and design, the pheasant fowl is not a member of the pheasant family.
The Pheasant flow is a breed of chicken that originated in England. They have bay and mahogany colored feathers with dark tips. Their legs and feet are a slate color. The comb and wattle are bred but they have white earlobes. They tend to stand more erect than other breeds of chicken and were known as good layers and good mothers. The male and female are similarly colored.
The Old English Pheasant fowl, as these birds would become officially known in 1914, is now considered an endangered species. They have beed cross-bred and generally identified under the general name of Hamburghs.
It’s no wonder that with a history like that, that a book about raising poultry and other farm animals and birds from England would discuss these pretty birds. This drawing is from an 1842 edition of A practical treatise on breeding, rearing, and fattening all kinds of domestic poultry, pheasants, pigeons, and rabbits : also, the management of swine, milch cows, and bees, with instructions for the private brewery on cider, perry, and British wine making by John Lawrence (1753-1839). No illustrator or engraver was identified and given credit for the numerous bird drawings contained within the book.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
