G. Beever—Some Remarks on Pheasants and Other Birds 161



is quite equal to the Satyr. What a pity Tragopans are so expensive.

If they were down to £5 a pair they would be in great demand.


What is the reason so few are bred ? Even when eggs are laid they

are often infertile, and, when fertile, the chicks generally are killed by

some accident or are victims of cats or other vermin. It is almost

uncanny the persistence with which the rarest birds are the victims

of accidents while the common varieties seem to escape them. I have

a theory in regard to Tragopans not breeding which may have some

truth in it or may be sheer nonsense. These birds come from high

altitudes and in their wild state must be continually climbing about

in search of food. In captivity they are put in an aviary built on

perfectly level ground and in consequence get no exercise and very

likely become too fat and lazy for breeding purposes. Perhaps if

some large aviaries were built on a hillside over some rocks or boulders

for these birds they would get plenty of exercise and lay fertile eggs.

I wish other readers would give their views on breeding Tragopans.


Another point regarding Pheasants that I have never yet seen

thoroughly explained is why some breeds, especially Swinhoe’s, are

nearly always subject to crooked toes. Does this happen because

the birds are born weak and cannot walk properly during their first

week, thus causing the toes to become twisted inwardly ? I have

reared plenty of Goldens, Amherst, and Eeeves, but I never had any

chicks with crooked toes, so I cannot solve it.


It seems that nearly all the common species of Pheasants will

cross, although the hybrids are infertile. I have actually seen an

Impeyen x Hokis cock, an extraordinary hybrid, as one is the most

metallic of Pheasants and the other the least metallic. Other extra¬

ordinary crosses are Soemmerrings X Fireback, Amherst X Swinhoe ;

and I have heard this week of a Swinhoe X Beeves which is new to me.


Silver x Beeves seem fairly common, also Beeves X Golden, the

cock of this cross being a very fine bird, maroon all over. Perhaps

the most extraordinary hybrid ever produced was one between a

Guinea-fowl and a Peacock. The parents in this case appear, too,

much more distinct from one another than any other two breeds of

Pheasants.


While on a visit to the U.S.A. in 1930 an item of news appeared in



