CHAPTER XXII. 



PHEASANTS ADAPTED TO THE AVIAKY 



(CONTINUED). 



THE IMP RYAN I^HEASANT [LOT'EOFHOEUS 

 IMPEYANUS). 



!]>; HE iriiuaul, or Inqieyau Pheasant, is one of tlie 

 most. g-oro(M)us hirds ; tlie wonderful metallic 

 ''^ lirilliance of its plumage, "gleaming in purple and 

 gold,'' never fails to attract the attention of the 

 spectato]-. Jn the Zoological Gardens it has bred 

 frequently, hnt a native of the Him;ilas, seldom 

 descending far lielow the snow line, and suffering from the 

 heat of summer, is not likely to succeed on the Ijondon clny. 

 During the life of my friend, Mr. J. J. Stone, I saw at large 

 oil the Welsh hills Inipeyan Pheasants as ta,n:e as the other 

 poultry, and J have little douht but that in siiitalde localities, 

 as in the North of Scotland, this magnificent bird might be 

 introduced to a.dvanta.ge either as a domestic or wild bird. 



Should it lie thought desirable to try the experiment in 

 any a.p]n'0]ii'iate locality, tin: can oidy be done by a con- 

 siderat iou oi' their habits in a, wild state, and I have there- 

 lore great pleasure m quoting the folhnviiiL;' from the late 

 Colonel Tickell, who was well acquainted with the birds in 

 their natural haunts : 



"The Monaul ranges high in the m(.>untains where it is 

 found, keeping near the line of snow: and although met 

 with in the ridges next tlie plains, fiocomes much more 

 numerous further in the mountains. It tri'(|ncnts the enl ire 



