PEE FADE. 



DETAILED ACCOUNT of the aatural Mst&vj, iaBiM. food, and 

 treataneiut of the Tarious species of Pheasants hadj long 1mm- a 

 dfisuteuatunn: ; this hook was prqjeeted with a view toi supply the 

 wanjl! in a more complete and comprehensive form than had 

 hithert©' heen attempted. The extEemely favonrahfe reception which 

 the Pirst Edition met with, not only from messietirs the reviewsBS, 

 hut also from the general puhHc, showed that the demand for such 

 information was not over-estimated, whilst the opinions expi?essed by many 

 of our best authorities led me to believe that the endeavour to combine 

 ornithological research with practical experience in the management of this 

 group of birds was not unattended with success. My obKgations to numerous 

 correspondents on various branches of the subject are duly acknowledged throughout 

 the pages of the work. 



In the following work I propose to give the natural history and general 

 practical management, not only of the pheasants, strictly so called — those adapted 

 for the covert — but also of the allied species, which are the most beautiful ornaments 

 of our aviaries. 



The progress of scientific exploration is continually bringing to light species 

 of pheasants hitherto unknown; many of these may be well suited to our coverts, 

 whilst others will find a place in our collections of ornamental birds. A few years 

 since the only pheasant bred wild in England was the common species {Phasianus 

 colchicus) ; - our coverts now possess the Chinese (P. torquatus) and the Japanese 

 (P. versicolor) species. There are others, as the Reeves pheasant (P. reevesii), still 

 more beautiftd, and equally well adapted both for sporting and culinary purposes. 

 In the same manner, our aviaries have recently been enriched by the addition of 

 the Amherst pheasant {Thaumalea amJierstice) and numerous others, which, by their 

 exquisite beauty, eclipse even the gorgeous coloration and elegant markings of the 

 comparatively well-known gold and silver pheasants. 



To indicate and illustrate these various species, to give as far as is known 

 their natural history, to describe the best methods of rearing them in preserves and 



