18 
That the introduction of the Pheasant, the Guinea-fowl, and the 
Turkey has been to a certain extent successful must be admitted ; 
but it is to a certain extent only ; for it is believed by competent 
authorities that the Pheasant if left to itself would die out in 
thirty years, and the Guinea-fowl and Turkey in a much shorter 
time. Nurses, feeders, and watchers are absolutely necessary for 
the preservation of these three birds, just as the safety and health 
of the Elands in Lord Hill’s Park, at Hawkstone, are dependent 
upon the keeper who feeds and nightly shelters them during incle- 
ment seasons. 
Had I not had ample experience on the subject of naturalization, I 
should not have prolonged these remarks ; but having for the last forty 
years been a close observer of the denizens of the Gardens of the Zoolo- 
gical Society of London, a Society justly popular for its interest and 
usefulness, [ have not failed to note that however high our hopes may 
have been raised respecting the probability of the successful introduc- 
tion of many valuable species, nothing but bitter disappointment has 
been the result. Two or three instances will suffice. Soon after the 
arrival of the beautiful Mandarin Ducks they commenced laying, and 
hatched out several clutches of young ; it was therefore only natural 
to infer that this lovely denizen of the Celestial Empire would here- 
after grace our ponds and lakes; but such has not been the case, and 
very sparingly indeed does the bird breed after the second or third 
year of its introduction. Three species of the equally beautiful Ceri- 
ornithes, or so-called Horned Pheasants, have at one time or other 
also graced the gardens, and gave early evidence that they would 
reproduce their kinds; and many of them did so; but, alas! the 
same result followed; for in a very few years all, both old and 
young, sickened and died. A like fate attended the fine Crossopti- 
lons: they laid freely, and a numerous progeny were raised during 
the first two or three years; but they ultimately all perished; and 
thus these fine and rare members of the Phasianide, which formed 
unrivalled ornaments to the Gardens in 1870, were, in 1872, not to 
beseen. Many other instances might be cited in support of this view 
of the impossibility of naturalizing a foreign species. Nature, as a 
rule, places each species in the locality best adapted to it; and its 
removal to any other is pretty certain to end in failure.. The at- 
tempts at introduction of these and other birds by such a society 
as the Zoological, however, have this good end—that they enable the 
public and the scientific ornithologist to view in a living state objects 
of which otherwise they could only inspect the dried skins, and, 
when they breed, to make themselves acquainted with the colour and 
markings of their eggs, the downy state of their young, and the 
changes of plumage they undergo until they attain that of the adult. 
Still it is to be regretted that their existence is not further prolonged. 
Hach season of the year possesses its peculiar attractions; but 
spring has especial claims upon our notice. The sun, awakened from 
his winter lethargy, ushers in this delightful season with his genial 
warmth ; and all nature greets with joy the presage of coming 
summer, and its many pleasing and interesting associations. The. 
