SILVER PHEASANT IN AVIARIES. 207 



mountains about 100 miles from Amoy (Province Fokein), 

 but I have never met witb the species in my rambles." 



In his recent handbook on Game Birds, Mr. W. Ogilvie- 

 Grant writes : " According to the AbbS David the Silver 

 Pheasant is becoming very rare in a wild state, and is only 

 found in South China, towards the North of Pokien, and 

 perhaps in Ohekiang. He says that most of the Golden 

 and Silver pheasants that one sees at Shanghai come from 

 Japan, where these two Chinese species are reared in 

 captivity. The Silver Pheasant is known in China by the 

 names of Ing-ky (Silver Fowl) and Pa6-ky (White Fowl). 

 Very little indeed is known of the habits of this extremely 

 fine species in a wild state, though it has long been one of 

 the commonest aviary birds. The males are, unfortunately, 

 so extremely pugnacious and such big heavy birds that they 

 fight with, and often kill, any other male pheasant living in 

 the same aviary, and for this reason must be kept separate." 



From their large size, commanding appearance, and the 

 beauty of the markings. Silver Pheasants have long been 

 favourites in our aviaries. They have the additional recom- 

 mendation of being exceedingly hardy, of laying freely in 

 captivity, and of being easy to rear when young. They also 

 become perfectly tame, feeding freely from the hand. These 

 birds could be readily domesticated, if it were thought 

 desirable to do so. I have known several instances where 

 they have been allowed to run at full liberty, and have seen 

 the birds sufficiently tame to come and stand before a 

 window, waiting for their accustomed treat at the hands of 

 the members of the family. The hens, though not usually 

 allowed to do so, will readily hatch their own eggs, and 

 attend upon their chickens with all the care of common fowls. 

 I have recently seen a pair, belonging to Mr. Clarence 

 Bartlett, in a moderate-sized aviary, the hen of which had 

 laid, hatched, and was rearing a strong healthy brood of 

 young, the cock being active in defence of his family, and 

 attacking most viciously any person going into the inclosure. 



