20:2 Reeves's Pheasant. 



specially adapted. With regard to its beauty and magnificence 

 there can be no doubt and Lord Lilford speaks practically as 

 to its value as a bird for the table, but I have never had the 

 opportunity of testing its value in this respect. 



The most important communication respecting the value 

 of the Reeves's pheasant as a game bird, and its rearing in 

 the forests of mountainous districts, was made to the Field on 

 February 8, 1890, by Mr. -J. G. Millais. His letter is as follows : 



" I noticed a letter by Mr. Tegetmeier in the Field of 

 January 25, on the desirability of establishing Reeves's pheasant 

 as a British game bird ; and as I have seen and shot several 

 of these birds at home, perhaps my observations on tlie species 

 may be of some interest. 



" There is no game bird, I think, in the world, which, if 

 introduced into suitable localities, would give greater pleasure 

 to both the sportsman and the naturalist than this grand 

 pheasant ; for grand he certainly is, both to the eye as well 

 as the object of aim to the expectant shooter. We all know,, 

 when a cock Reeves's pheasant attains his full beauty and 

 length of tail, what a splendid bird he is as he struts about 

 in his gorgeous trappings, and shows himself off for the benefit 

 of his ladjr-love, but Avhen the same bird is launched in the air, 

 and dashes along above the highest trees of a wild Scotch 

 landscape, leaving poor old Colchicus to scurry at what seems 

 but a slow pace behind him., I can assure j'oiu- readers that both 

 the dignit}' and the pace are alike wonderful, and a sicrbt not 

 easily to be forgotten. 



" Until the year 1890 I had seen and shot several Reeves's 

 pheasants, and under ordinar}^ conditions of covert shooting 

 wa=? content to consider the bird hardly a success from a 

 gunner's point of view. During that autumn, however, I went 

 to the annual covert shoot at Guisachan, Lord Tweedmouth's 

 beautiful seat, near Beauly, in Ross-shire, and it was there, 

 amidst the wildest and shaggiest of Scotch scenery — in country 

 which must to a great extent resemble the true home of the 

 bird in question — that I had cause to alter my opinion. 



