200 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



tbe SiL'iniiieri'iug and the jjerfectly marked liead of the 

 Reeves jilieaKant. Tliey Avei-e exei edingly Ijeautilul. 



Hybrids liave also Ijeeii jirnduced Ijetween a iiialo Reeves 

 phea.sa,nt and female Cheer {P. 'icallirJiii) , but they have 

 little beyond their size t(.> recommend them. Jn a.])]jearance 

 thev look like dirty faded lieeves^ with comparatively short 

 tads, 'i'liev are of large size, like the parent sjiecies, and 

 would in all probability ]iartake of those terrestiial lialiits of 

 the Cheer which preclude its being advantageously introduced 

 as a game bn'd, as it often refuses to rise, even \vhen hunted 

 or pursued with dogs. 



A singular lubrid was ]iroduceil and described bv Mr. }i. 

 Sanders, <if Heavitree, wiio wrote: "1 havi' three most 

 beautiful male birds, bred lietwcen the Reeves and gold. The 

 size is alxait tliat of the male IJeeves, Ijut the Jiliiiiiaye does 

 not in the least partake of that of either parent ; it; is very 

 much like that of the copper pheasant of China (ot' wdiich 

 I had several some years since), but not so (hirk. ddie chief 

 colour is a, soft light lirown, running int(.) a liglii. copper; the 

 marking on the head is sonie\vhat after the lU'e\a>s ; the tail 

 vei'V long." 



Througli tlie kindness of Sir Digrjy Pigott I ha\"o received 

 some iuteresi ing stateiiuMits res])ecting theferti!il\ wf cro.^s- 

 bred l'ee\'cs and other ])lieasa.nts, as reai'ed on Lord iJucie's 

 estaf.e. 1 1 is lor(lship, writing to Sir Digb\', says 



" My kee[ier knows of no case Avhere hybrid i;rr\-es have 

 ])i'oved fertile. 



" Rce\-es hybridizes witli Cninmon, Gold, and Silver 

 pheasant, but lor one genei'alioii onlv. 



"The hybrid between Reeves and (iold has occurreil once 

 in the wild state and onci- in coulinemeut. 



" iiee\es and Cominon ]diea.saiit makes a line cross. The 

 resulting bird lias a strange cry. lean iletect them 'JUO to 

 oOO yards, as it is verv loiid. 



" i;i'e\-rs in a wild state pr(Mliices about live cLfo's, and 

 rarely rea.rs more thau four Noiing ; the (iold pheasant pr(j- 



