APPENDIX B. 



FERTILITY OF HYBRID REEVES AND OTHER 

 PHEASANTS. 



i.INCB the foregoing pages were printed, I have, 

 through the kindness of Mr. DighyPigott, received 

 some interesting statements respecting the fertility 

 of cross-bred Eeeves and other pheasants; as reared 

 on Lord Ducie's estate. His lordship, writing to Mr. 

 Pigott, says : — 

 " My keeper knows of no case where hybrid Reeves 

 have proved fertile. 



" Eeeves hybridizes with Common, Gold, and Silver 

 pheasant, but for one generation only. 



" The hybrid between Reeves and Gold has occurred once 

 in the wild state and once in confinement. 



" Reeves and Common pheasant makes a fine cross. The 

 resulting bird has a strange cry. I can detect them 200 to 

 300 yards away, as it is very loud. 



"Reeves in a wild state produces about five eggs, and 

 rarely rears more than four young ; the Gold pheasant pro- 

 duces six to seven eggs. But natural or wild breeding is 

 rare here, owing to the foxes. 



" The Gold pheasant seems to prefer the ridges of car- 

 boniferous limestone. 



" The Reeves pheasant strays sporadically. By rearing 

 forty to fifty annually I can keep up the number. 



" The Gold pheasant is abundant here. Traces of an 



