Fertile Bird Hybrids 



strong and useful, the three-quarter bred beasts 

 are apparently of little value. 



FERTILE BIRD HYBRIDS 



Coming to birds, we are confronted by a 

 longer list of fertile hybrids. This is the natural 

 outcome of the fact that a greater number of 

 bird species have been kept in captivity. 



The oldest known fertile hybrid is that 

 between the common and Chinese geese above 

 cited, but many others have since been re- 

 corded. Even among birds so seldom bred, 

 comparatively, as the parrot family, a fertile 

 hybrid has been produced, that between the Aus- 

 tralian Rosella Parrakeet (Platycercus eximius) 

 and Pennant's Parrakeet (P. elegans}. The 

 hybrid was first described as a distinct species, 

 the Red-mantled Parrakeet (P. erythropeplus). 

 These two parrakeets, though nearly allied, are 

 very distinct ; Pennant's being coloured red, blue, 

 and black, with a distinct young plumage of 

 uniform dull green ; the rosella in addition to the 

 above colours displays much yellow and some 

 white and green. It is, moreover, considerably 

 smaller and has no distinct youthful dress. 



The Amherst Pheasant (Chrysolophus amher- 

 stice) and the Gold Pheasant (C. pictus) have 

 long been known as producing hybrids which 

 are fertile either inter se or with the parents. 

 Here the species are still more distinct ; not only 



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