196 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



out afterwards. The hyl)riJs between the Reeves's and the 

 common species are generally supposed to be sterile, which 

 may be regarded as a point in their favour rather than other- 

 wise, as no mongrel crosses would be introduced, and Keeves's 

 pheasant could be confined to those i-egions to which by its 

 size and habits it is specially adapted. With ri>g-ard to its 

 beatify and magnificence there c;in be no d(.)uht, and Lord 

 Lilford speaks j^ractically as to its value as a bii-d for the 

 table, hut 1 ha,ve never had the 0].)portuiiity of testing its 

 value iu this respect. 



'I'he most important communication respecting the value 

 of the lieeves's jiheasant iis a game bird, and its ri'aring in 

 the forests of mountainous districts, was made to the Field on 

 February S, 1890, by Islv. J. (I. Alillais. This was accompanied 

 by a most graphic sketch of the flight of the bird, which he 

 has kindly given mo permission to reproduce. His letter is 

 as follows : 



"I noticrd a lettei- ]>y ]\Ir. Tegettneier in the Field of 

 ■January 2.3, on the desiraJjility of establishing Keeves's 

 l)hensant as a British game Ijird ; and as I have seen and shot 

 several of these birds at home, ]ierhaps my observations on 

 the s])ecies may be of some interest. 



" There is n(j game bird, I think, in the world, which, if 

 introduced into suitable localities, would gi\-e greater pleasure 

 to both the sportsma,n and the naturalist than this o-i'aiid 

 pheasant; for grand he certaiuly is, both to the eve as well 

 as the object of ann to the expectant .sheoter. ^Vo all know, 

 when a cock Keeves's pheasant attains his full beaiitv and 

 length of tail, what a splendid bird he is as he struts alioutin 

 his goi'geons trappings, and shows himself (jff for the benefit 

 of bis lady-love, but when the same bird is launched in the 

 air, and da,shes along above the highest trees of a wild Scotch 

 landscape, leaving p(jor old Colchicus to scurry at what seems 

 but a slow pace behiiul him, I can assure your readers that 

 both the dignity and the pace are alike wonderful, and a sight 

 not easily to be forgotten. 



