>32 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



of this kind, in full plumage, realised 35Z. The cross-bred 

 specimens comljine in a remarkable degree the tiK)st attractive 

 features of the two species from which they are dei'ived, and 

 are untpiestiouably far more beautiful than either ; compared 

 with them the pure-bred Amherst looks pallid, and the Gold 

 Pheasant wants the beautiful contrast of the white neck 

 tippet and the brilliancy (jf the greeti and blue. 



The C7'est is fully developed, btMiig larger than in either 

 parent species ; in colour it is a brilhant scarlet orange. The 

 neck tipjiet is white, margined with brilliant dark greeu, 

 resembling" that of the Amherst, but considerably more 

 deA'eloped. The iris, wliicli is white m the latter species, is 

 of a pale straw cohjur in tlu^ hybrids, as is the naked skin 

 under the eye. 'J^he neck under the tippet, as well as the 

 throat, is a resplendent green. The lireast, which in the 

 Amherst is white, is a brilliant scarlet orange, with a narrow 

 transverse band of lighter yellow aljout an inch bclow' the 

 margin of the green feathers of the throat. The flanks are 

 of the same colour as the l)reast. The back is yellow, 

 running into the bright scarlet orange of the tail coverts and 

 side sickle feathers. 'I'he wing coverts are of a magnificent 

 dark steel Ijhie. fn all tlie characters nienti(jned, the 

 hybrids possess the most gorgeous hues of the two species 

 conjoined. The tail, however, is an exce|iti(jii ; that of the 

 Amherst is certainly mori' beautiful tliaii that of the Gold, 

 which latter, however, a[)]iears almost unchanged in the 

 cross-breeds, luit of somewhat increased ;,ize. As, however, 

 in the so-called species TJki ii iiutlra iilisritrii , llie tail of the 

 Gold tends to vary to\vards the markings of that of the 

 Amherst, and the upper ]iart of the tiiroat to assume a 

 spaugled character, there would be no difhcultv m breeding- 

 this cross with the Amherst tail. The rross-breeds are 

 remarkably tame, feeding readily out of the hand. 



^Ir. Elliot, in his mom^graph of the /'/(((,v/,n(/(/;i', gives a 

 life-sized coloured platr of this hybrid, and acknowledges 

 that"in BiKO and bialliaiicy of dress he eclipses" both the 



