PBMFACE. 



some of these are well suited to our coverts, whilst others 

 are regarded as ornamental birds. A few years since the 

 only pheasant bred wild in England was the common species 

 [Phasianus colcMcus) ; our coverts now possess the Chinese 

 (P. torquatus) and the Japanese (P. versicolor) species; whilst 

 the Reeves's pheasant (P. reevesii), still more beautiful, and 

 equally well adapted both for sporting and culinary pur- 

 poses, has been recently introduced. In the same manner, 

 our aviaries have recently been enriched by the addition 

 of the Amherst pheasant {Thaumalea amherstise) and 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 inclosed 

 pheasantries, to enter into the numerous details respecting 

 their food, management, protection, rearing, diseases, &c., is 

 the object at which I have aimed in the preparation of this 

 work. 



In the following chapters I first treat of the natural 

 history of the pheasants generally — their food, habits, 

 nesting, &c. Then follows the consideration of their 

 management in preserves, the details of the different 

 methods of feeding the birds, their protection from their 

 numerous enemies, the formation of coverts, &c. This is 

 succeeded by an account of their treatment in inclosed 

 pheasantries, the hatching of the eggs, rearing and feeding 

 the young birds, and the prevention and cure of their 



