236 The Amherst Pheasant. 



resembling that of the Amherst, but considerably more 

 developed. The iris, which is white in the latter species, is of 

 a pale straw colour in the hybrids, as is the naked skin under 

 the eye. The neck under the tippet, as well as the throat, 

 is a resplendent green. The breast, which in the Amherst is 

 white, is a brilhant scarlet orange, with a narrow transverse 

 band of lighter yellow about an inch below the margin of the 

 green feathers of the throat. The flanks are of the same 

 colour as the breast. The back is yellow, running into the 

 bright scarlet orange of the tail coverts and side sickle feathers. 

 The wing coverts are of a magnificent dark steel blue. In 

 all the characters mentioned, the hybrids possess the most 

 gorgeous hues of the two species conjoined. The tail, however, 

 is an exception ; that of the Amherst is certainly more beautiful 

 than that of the Gold, which latter, however, appears almost 

 unchanged in the cross-breeds, but of somewhat increased 

 size. As, however, in the so-called species Thaumalea ohscura, 

 the tail of the Gold tends to vary towards the markings of 

 that of the Amherst, and the upper part of the throat to 

 assume a spangled character, there would be no difficulty in 

 breeding this cross with the Amherst tail. The cross-breeds 

 are remarkably tame, feeding readily out of the hand. 



Mr. Elliot, in his monograph of the Phasianidce, gives a 

 life-sized coloured plate of this hybrid, and acknowledges 

 that " in size and brilUancy of dress he eclipses " both the 

 parent species, adding : " Contrary to my intention of not 

 figuring any hybrid pheasants, I have been induced to show 

 this one, merely from its great beauty and the comparative 

 rarity of at least one of its parents ; but at the same time I 

 cannot but beheve that all those who breed pheasants, either 

 for pleasure or profit, would best consult their own interests 

 by keeping their birds as pure in blood as possible, allowing 

 no foreign strain to intermingle, and resolutel}^ setting their 

 faces against even such a magnificent impostor as here offers 

 himself for our admiration." I quote this passage as illustra- 

 tive of the beauty of the birds, although I differ entirely from 



