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THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



officials, had made a fine collection of Himalayan pheasants. 

 Mr. Thomson, the head-keeper, was sent out to bring them to 

 England. Queen Victoria, the Marquess of Breadalbane, and 

 Viscount Hill each contributed £100 to the cost of the under- 

 taking; and it was agreed that the birds should be divided 

 between the donors and the Society, so as to increase the 

 chances of acclimatisation. 



Mr. Thomson returned in 1857. The difficulties of the 

 voyage reduced the number of birds shipped ; but notwith- 

 standing that unavoidable misfortune, examples of the cheer 

 pheasant, the black-backed, white-crested, and purple kalij, 

 and the hill partridge arrived safely, and, as the Council 

 believed, "in sufficient numbers to afford a reasonable prospect 

 of acclimatising them in this country." The following table 

 shows the breeding results of the first four species and the 

 Impeyan pheasant up to the end of the decade : 



