182 PHEASANTS FOB COVBBTS AND AVIABIES. 



proportion of young birds were hatclied out. My impression 

 is that these birds lay best — at all events in captivity — at 

 about their third or fourth year. My gamekeeper^ who has 

 had charge of them, assures me that the young birds are very 

 hardy and easy to rear. I have in Northamptonshire (the 

 county in which I have tried these birds) no very large extent 

 of woodlands of my own, and cannot therefore tell you much 

 of their habits in a wild state, as they are very much given to 

 roaming to great distances, and a good many have fallen 

 victims in my neighbours' woods, besides the large percentage 

 that may be always allowed in a foxhunting country. They 

 have certainly crossed, though not abundantly, with the 

 common pheasant. The male hybrid of the first cross is a 

 most splendid bird. Reeves's pheasant is a very wild, shy 

 bird, very quick on the wing, somewhat given to go back if 

 possible, but quickly attains a good height in the air, giving 

 good rocketing shots. I found them most excellent for the 

 table — in my opinion far superior to the common pheasant. 

 I believe, from what I have seen and heard of this species, 

 that for real success with them in this country a wide range of 

 hUl coverts would be most eligible. I believe that Sir Dudley 

 Coutts Marjoribanks has had great success with Reeves's 

 pheasants in Inverness-shire." I am informed that as many 

 as sixty Reeves's have been shot in these coverts in a single 

 season. 



Fifteen years after Lord Lilford favoured me with the 

 above communication he published in " The Birds of North- 

 amptonshire " a further report on this species, in which he 

 maintains its desirable character as a game bird for ranges 

 of woodland in mountainous districts. His account is as 

 follows : 



"Another most beautiful species, known as Reeves's or 

 the bar- tailed pheasant [Phasianus reevesii), though we have 

 found it hardy, easy to rear, and excellent for the table, our 

 opinion is that, as it possesses the roaming instinct in a still 

 higher degree than the ring-necked species, and is of a very 



