THE GOLDEN PHEASANT.” 117 
which I kept some had a back wall to it covered with old ivy, and they preferred 
roosting in this; indeed, I always found that, although during a wet day those which 
were at liberty took shelter under a roof, yet at night they would not do so, but 
would instead roost in the open air. The females will lay about twenty-five eggs 
each in the aviary. I always provided them with baskets to lay in, which they 
only sometimes made use of; they take twenty-four days to hatch. ‘The young 
cocks do not attain their full plumage until after the moult of the second summer; 
they drop their chicken feathers when about three months old; their plumage is 
then something like the hen’s, but sufficiently bright in some parts as easily to 
distinguish them from the young females. In general there are more cocks than 
hens. 
“Tf the cock birds are placed in a portion of the aviary apart from hens, 
any number may be kept together. I have had so many as twelve males in full 
plumage together, and when during the summer (and indeed at all times) these 
beautiful birds were going through the very:curious and fanciful attitudes and 
manceuvres peculiar to them, it was one of the most brilliant sights to be observed 
in nature. The flashing of their various golden, crimson, blue, and purple plumes in 
different lights was absolutely dazzling to the eye, and at these times they contrive 
to display all the most beautiful parts of their plumage to the utmost advantage ; 
the golden crest is raised; the splendid orange and purple-tipped collar is spread 
out to its full extent, while the scarlet tail coverts are shown in all their beauty. 
- During the whole time the birds are leaping and dancing round each other, and 
uttering occasionally their peculiar shrill cry.” 
Mr. Thompson states that he has never known the Golden Pheasant to live 
longer than ten or eleven years, and that such as came under his knowledge “ died 
almost instantaneously, and when in the highest possible condition as to flesh and 
plumage,” the cause of death being evidently induced by high condition and over 
fatness. 
Respecting their management in aviaries still more confined for space, my 
late friend Mr. Ed. Hewitt kindly gave me the following notes :— 
“As I kept Golden Pheasants many years with success, a few hints may, to 
beginners, be acceptable. They may with proper care be reared perfectly tame, but 
have always a tendency to be alarmed at the sudden appearance of strange dogs, 
cats, or even individuals; for which reason I think it advisable they should be 
pinioned if allowed an out-of-door run, lest they may be tempted to fly away, or 
on to the surrounding buildings; for, unlike common poultry, they are only tempted 
to return with great difficulty, as the moment they get from their accustomed range 
they seem as wild and uncontrollable as birds reared in a state of nature. Pinioning 
can be easily managed without the slightest detriment to the appearance of the 
bird. Let it, too, be always kept in mind, in handling pheasants never to lay hold 
