l88 PHEASANT. 



Mr. J. F. Symonds, of Okeleigh, Hereford, tried, but also in vain, to 

 procure a cock Pheasant of the original Colchican breed from the 

 gamekeepers of Herefordshire. Many of them believed they had 

 the " old birds " in their respective manors, but nevertheless failed 

 to produce one. It is now some years since Mr. Gould expressed 

 the opinion, that in twenty years there would not be a true 

 specimen in the country. There are some few left, however, in 

 remote districts. Mr. H. C. Beddoe shot one at Wormesley Grange, 

 in 1878. There is a specimen in the billiard-room at Garnstone; 

 another fine bird in the hall at Vennwood House ; and others here 

 and there throughout the county. 



The interesting specimen presented to the Hereford Museum 

 by Mr. E. W. Colt-Williams, was shot by him at Kinnersley, in 

 November, 1886. 



Mr. Home, of Hereford, has now imported from the Phasis, 

 or Rion River, some of the true colchicus, such as the bird was, 

 when originally brought to this country, and he hopes to be able 

 to breed the old pure birds. This, he believes, is the first attempt 

 to re-introduce the original Pheasant. 



The improvement in the breed of Pheasants has now become 

 a matter of considerable importance to country estates. The 

 beautiful birds that ornament our parks and woods are but 

 naturalized foreigners, and there are several other varieties, 

 of varied and still greater beauty, which might be introduced profit- 

 ably. They are equally hardy and prohfic, and some of them of 

 larger size than those we now possess. 



The Japanese Pheasant, Phasiaiius versicolor^ is smaller than 

 the colchicus, and a beautiful bird, with a bright crimson face, a 

 glossy, changeable bluish-green on the neck, and a brilliant dark- 

 green breast. This bird was introduced into England by Lord 

 Derby, the great zoologist, in 1840, who obtained the variety from 

 the King of Italy. It is an excellent " gun-bird," rising readily 

 from the covert, and is of undeniable excellence on the table. It 

 does not show, moreover, the disposition to wander, which is so 



