Reeves's Pheasant 109 
beauty, great hardihood, and unequalled pace, which practically fulfils all the conditions 
which the modern shooter requires. The only other condition which is absolutely 
essential to make the bird a success from this point of view is its local environment. 
In this respect Guisachan is not singular, and I could name a hundred localities in 
Scotland, England, and Wales where Reeves's Pheasant would be certain to succeed. 
The Guisachan birds were obtained by the late Lord Tweedmouth from Balmacaan, 
Lord Seafield's estate near Loch Ness, where I have also seen them shot. No arti- 
ficial rearing was resorted to ; the birds were breeding in a wild state, and shifting 
entirely for themselves, except for the maize which was put down for the ordinary 
Pheasants. At Balmacaan, where the birds were in low open woods, one may see 
Reeves's Pheasants killed in the way in which they should not be. Here these birds 
(as is the case when turned down on any ordinary English preserve) have formed most 
undesirable habits. It is with great difficulty they can be got to rise at all, and when 
this is effected they keep low, and afford no sport whatever. Now, at Guisachan all 
this is obviated by the rough nature of the ground. There is heavy bracken, fallen 
trees, mountain burns, and, above all, rough heather. These cause the birds to get up 
almost at once. The trees being high and dense, assist their elevation, and force 
them to a respectable height from the very start. 
Reeves's Pheasant has the power to stop suddenly when travelling at its full 
speed, which may be estimated at nearly double that of an ordinary Pheasant ; and 
this is performed by an extraordinary movement when the bird makes up its mind 
to alight on some high tree that has taken its fancy. This bird may be said to be 
furnished with a " Westinghouse brake" in the shape of its tail, otherwise the feat 
would be impossible. By a sudden and complete turn of the body, both the expanded 
wings and tail are presented as a resistance to the air, and the position of the bird is 
reversed. This acts as an immediate buffer and brake, and by this means the bird 
is enabled to drop head downwards into a tree within the short space of eight or 
ten yards. 
Lord Ravensworth, in writing of the beauty of these Inverness-shire birds, refers 
to their difficulty of approach, saying that they take to their legs long before other 
Pheasants are conscious of danger. This is quite true, for they seem as clever as deer 
or fox to notice the movements of men in their vicinity. One remark of Lord Ravens- 
worth requires some comment. He says: "Any attempt to walk up to them in brush 
covert is utterly hopeless, for they are exceedingly vigilant and go straight off like a 
dart, not more than six feet from the ground." Most of the old cocks which at first 
were found hidden in the high heather and juniper adjoining the coverts rose far out 
of shot, and skimmed away to shelter, as Lord Ravensworth describes, but I noticed 
that many one or two year old cocks and most of the hens sat very close, and rose 
with a disconcerting scream at our feet, and at such times they obtained an elevation 
similar to other Pheasants. These birds were of course not shot, but allowed to pass 
into the high woods. 
Female Reeves's Pheasants cry almost as loudly as the males. Both sexes have 
another curious piping call, more like that of a little finch than of such a noble species. 
It is quite useless to turn out Reeves's Pheasant in flat wooded countries, for they will 
