PREFACE. 
DETAILED ACCOUNT of the natural history, habits, food, and 
treatment of the various species of Pheasants had long been a 
desideratum; this book was projected with a view to supply the 
want in a more complete and comprehensive form than had 
hitherto been attempted. The extremely favourable reception which 
the First Edition met with, not only from messieurs the reviewers, 
‘\. but also from the general public, showed that the demand for such 
information was not over-estimated, whilst the opinions expressed by many 
“ of our best authorities led me to believe that the endeavour to combine 
ornithological research with practical experience in the management of this 
group of birds was not unattended with success. My obligations to numerous 
correspondents on various branches of the subject are duly acknowledged throughout 
the pages of the work. 
In the following work I propose to give the natural history and general 
practical management, not only of the pheasants, strictly so called—those adapted 
for the covert—but also of the allied species, which are the most beautiful ornaments 
of our aviaries. 
The progress of scientific exploration is continually bringing to light species 
of pheasants hitherto unknown; many of these may be well suited to our coverts, 
whilst others will find a place in our collections of ornamental birds. A few years 
since the only pheasant bred wild in England was the common species (Phasianus 
colchicus); our coverts now possess the Chinese (P. torquatus) and the Japanese 
(P. versicolor) species. There are others, as the Reeves pheasant (P. reevesii), still 
more beautiful, and equally well adapted both for sporting and culinary purposes. 
In the same manner, our aviaries have recently been enriched by the addition of 
the Amherst pheasant (Thawmalea amherstie) and numerous others, which, by their 
exquisite beauty, eclipse even the gorgeous coloration and elegant markings of the 
comparatively well-known gold and silver pheasants. 
To indicate and illustrate these various species, to give as far as is known 
their natural history, to describe the best methods of rearing them in preserves and 
a 
