Correspondence



167



P.S.—If any of our members has a plucking Parrot and will

correspond with me I will supply the vitamin substance necessary

to bring about a cure ; we will then have conclusive proof as to

its cause. P. H. H.



THE MELANISTIC MUTANT PHEASANT


In the article on the Melanistic Mutant that appeared under

my name in the June issue of the Avicultural Magazine, there is

a slight erratum. I am reported as having written “For some time

it was put down as a sport ... to be classed on a par with black and

wild rabbits.” I actually wrote “ black and white wild rabbits ”,

which I think makes better sense.


In view of recent knowledge, I do not think the Melanistic can

be considered in the same category as other examples of melanism.

The Golden Mutant, known as the Black-faced Golden Pheasant,

while breeding true to type, is very difficult to rear, and the eggs are

frequently infertile, while the Melanistic Mutant is exactly the reverse.

It is the easiest to rear of any, going to covert at a much younger age,

and it is strongly fertile. The black rabbit, regrettably enough in my

opinion, does not beget black. There is one on a farm I know well.

It was there last year, having been seen many times, and always in

or around the same spot. No one could bag it. A sweepstake was

placed upon its head, but still it eluded guns and ferrets alike. This

year it is still to be seen in almost the same spot. But it is still alone

in its colouring. It is quite unthinkable that any rabbit should be

barren, and though there is not another black one for it to mate with,

its progeny, be it male or female, would show some signs of melanism—■-

possibly there might even be a mixed brood, some black some normal.

But divil a black hair anywhere save on this particular rabbit. This

seems to indicate that the Melanistic Mutant is not to be considered

in the same category as other examples of melanism which are, if not

actually transient, expiring with the individual, at any rate insecure

or infertile.



Geoffry H. Clark.



