266



On the Mikado Pheasant.



these were accidentally killed by a fall of a tree, and eleven ulti¬

mately reached England—eight males and three females.


They were installed in comfortable aviaries, and the follow¬

ing year a good many of both sexes were hatched and successfully

reared.


The egg almost exactly resembles rather a small white hen’s

egg. The first batch of eggs I placed under sitting hens, and some

were kindly reared for me by Mr. Seth-Smith at the Zoological

Gardens. But this year I have allowed the Mikado to sit on her

own eggs, and she is a very careful and devoted mother.


The food is not a difficulty, being the same as with other

Pheasants, but they require more green food, of which they are

very fond, and soon eat down a patch of growing grass. I give

lettuce in addition.


Dryness, I am sure, is essential in winter; as, indeed, it is

preferable for any Pheasant. Cold and damp rapidly produces liver

troubles.


Several crosses were tried, but the only successful one up to

the present has been with the female of the Elliott Pheasant. This

cross produces a very large handsome bird; the marking partaking

more of the Elliott than the Mikado ; the tail feathers, however,

resemble the Mikado.


Several true pairs of these birds are in various parts of Eng¬

land. One pair I presented to the Zoological Gardens; some are in

the New York Zoological Gardens, and others have gone to France

and Australia.


At the time of writing, I have two fine pairs, but both my

hens are young home-bred birds and I have three very strong

chicks hatched. I hope however to have more presently. I have

found no difficulty in rearing the young birds, but have carefully

avoided interbreeding, which is doubtless the main cause of delicacy

in any breed.



