2:3S The Amherst Pheasant. 



These views, which I maintained at the time of the publica- 

 tion of the first edition of this work in 1873, have been fully 

 borne out by later experience. In 1881 the late Mr. A. D. 

 Bartlett, then superintendent of the Zoological Gardens, wrote 

 to me : " The hybrid Amherst and Gold pheasants breed freely 

 inter se ; but, as far as I can learn, in most cases the breeders 

 have been breeding the half-bred hens with the pure Amherst 

 males, for the purpose of obtaining as near as possible the 

 characters of the pure Amherst ; and this is very quickly 

 accomplished, for in the third generation all traces of the 

 Gold pheasant are lost, or nearly so." 



The late Mr. Home, writing to me in 1879, said : " With 

 regard to the Gold and Amherst pheasants being turned out 

 by landed proprietors, I know of a place in Ireland where 

 there are large numbers of these birds breeding together in 

 a wild state, and some of the crosses are very beautiful. 

 There is also an estate in Scotland where Amhersts have been 

 at liberty for years, and the owner wrote me that they kept 

 their own quarters, not allowing the other pheasants to inter- 

 fere with them. I agree with you that it is a pity more of 

 these birds are not turned out, as they form a great attraction 

 to pleasure grounds. The easiest way to bring it about is 

 to place a brood or two under hens in the kitchen garden ; 

 and, as they become fully -grown, they naturally fly to the 

 adjoining trees, and continue to hang about the place after- 

 wards." 



