112 PHEASANTS ADAPTED EOE THE COVERT. 



dry and sandy, which, seems to suit them very well.) Two years ago I penned up 

 fifty yery fine young birds, about half-grown ; but they swelled yery much about 

 the head, and went completely bHnd, and about twenty of them died, but those that 

 we haye turned out seem to be in yery good health and condition. As regards 

 hybridizing, I know they will do so, as three years ago a hen E-eeves escaped from 

 the pens, bred with a common pheasant, and brought up fiye yery fine young birds, 

 much larger than the common pheasant, and of beautiful plumage. This was the 

 only hen that had been at liberty until this year, when several more were turned 

 out after the breeding season, so we shall be better able to judge of their habits, 

 &c., next year. Their flight is yery rapid — much faster than the common pheasant." 



In reply to my inquiries during the present year, Mr. Mayes writes as 

 follows : — " Regarding the B/ceyes pheasants, I do not consider them so fertile as 

 the common English or ring-necked pheasants ; they do not lay so many eggs — 

 generally eight to ten in a nest — whereas the common pheasants lay from fourteen 

 to eighteen in a nest. They haye crossed with the common pheasants here on a few 

 occasions in the coyerts ; when they haye done so they produce remarkably fine 

 birds, both as regards size and plumage. They are a yery shy bird, and require for 

 laying, to do any good, to be penned up in a quiet place by themselyes ; but I 

 have never penned any Reeves's pheasants up with the common pheasants with a 

 view to cross them. Their value for showing sport lies mostly in their being good 

 risers, and their being stronger on the wing and flying higher than the common 

 pheasant. If a like quantity of Reeves's and common pheasants were in two coverts, 

 the Reeves's pheasants would show decidedly better and finer sport, as they are 

 much nobler birds." 



Many specimens of hybrid or cross-bred Reeves have been reared ia confine- 

 ment. That figured in the same plate with the Bohemian Pheasant was the offspring 

 of a male Reeves with a Bohemian hen ; it partook, as may be noticed, the characters 

 of both species, the tail being of intermediate length, the white cowl, cheek patch, 

 and neck ring of the Reeves being retained, but the splendid golden yellow of the 

 body being almost entirely wanting. 



Hybrids have been produced between a male Reeves's pheasant and female 

 Cheer [Phasicmm wallicUi), but they have little beyond their size to recommend 

 them. In appearance they look like dirty faded Reeves's, with comparatively short 

 tails. They are of large size, like the parent species, and would in all probability 

 partake of those terrestrial habits of the Cheer which preclude its being advantageously 

 introduced as a game bird, as it often refuses to rise, even when hunted or pursued 

 with dogs. 



