236 PHEASANTS FOR COVERrs AXD AVIARIES. 



mountains about 1(>0 milos fr(im Amoy (Province Fokieu); 

 but I Lave never met with the Sfiecies in my rambles." 



In liis " Haudliook to tlie (lame Jiiiids," l6*Jr>, Mr. W. 

 (.)gilvie-Gi-ant \vrite.s ; " Accordint;- to the Abbe David the 

 Sliver J'heasant is ijeeoming very rare in a wild state, and is 

 only found m iSmith Ghin;i, towards the north of Fukieu, and 

 jierhaps iii Chekiang. He says that most of the Golden 

 and Silver pheasants that one sees at Shanghai come from 

 Japan, where these two Chinese species are reared in captivity. 

 'J'he Silver I'heasaiit is known iii China by the names of lug-lsy 

 (Sliver Fowl) and J'ae-ky (White Fowl). Very little indeed 

 is known of the habits of this extremely hue species in a wild 

 state, though it has long been one ot the commonest aviary 

 Inrds. The males are, unfortunately, sd extremely |uignacious 

 aud such big heavy birds that they hght ^\"ith, and oflen kill, 

 any other male pheasant living in tlio same aviai y, and for 

 this reason must be kept se[)ar.ite." 



From their large si/.e, commanding apjiearaiice, and the 

 beauty of the markings, Silver I'herisants have long been 

 favourites in our a\"iaries. They have the additional reccjiu- 

 meudation (jf being exceedingly hardy, of laving freely in 

 captivity, and of being easy to rear when y(jiing. Tliev also 

 become perfectly tanie, feeiling freely Iroin the hand. These 

 birds could ]>v readily domesticated, if it were tlaiught 

 tlesiraljje to do so. 1 have known si'veral instances where 

 they have been allowed to inn at full liberty, and have seen 

 the Ijirds sutficieutly tame t'j come aud stand before a window 

 waiting For their accustomed treat at the hands of tlie members 

 of the family. The hens, though not usually allowed to do 

 so, will readily hatch their own eggs, a.nd attend u})oii their 

 chickens with all the care ot comnajii fowls. Some years ago 

 1 saw a pair lielonging to Mr. Clarcmce Bartlett, m a moderate- 

 sized aviary, the hen of which had hud, hatched, and was 

 rearing a strong, healthy brood of young, the cock being- 

 active in defence id' his family, and attacking most viciously 

 any person going mto the inclosure. No game cock couUl Ije 



