Correspondence



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my opinion. The Amherst cock is a combination of colour, shape, and

style that is not quite equalled in any other Pheasant.


Now, with regard to my suggestion that Tragopans require more

exercise, anyone would think from reading Mr. Lambert’s article

that we know everything about Pheasants. The fact is we know very

little. Poultry are closely related to Pheasants, and we know that when

they are kept in small enclosures it is necessary to make them work by

scratching for their food, in order to get them to lay well. Birds like

Amhersts, Golden, Swinhoe, Beeves exercise themselves, but

Tragopans, from what I have seen, lead a rather lazy life. I have also

read that Tragopans often die suddenly as the result of being too fat,

so that anything that will cause them to take more exercise would most

likely improve their fertility. There is no doubt that crooked toes

in Swinhoes are the result of weakly chicks that come from inbred stock.

It would be most interesting to know when the last Swinhoes were

imported, and also how many were formerly imported direct from

Formosa.


There is still plenty of scope to investigate the habits and food of

the different Pheasants. Mr. Horne’s book mentions that hempseed

is harmful to Beeves. Has anyone else noticed this ? I consider hemp-

seed to be one of the very best foods for Pheasants if given in

moderation.


I wish we could have some more experiences on rearing rare

Pheasants. We have some members in Scotland who could perhaps

enlighten us on rearing Tragopans, and how to get Beeves to lay. We

have also members in U.S.A., such as Mr. Henley and Mr. Corson,

who have wide experience in rearing rare Pheasants.


In digesting articles written on experiences in other countries,

one must always allow for the difference in climate. I am pleased to

read of the success of Mr. J. Carlton Hunting in rearing Bornean

Firebacks. Anything like this is of intense interest to Pheasant

breeders, and adds greatly to our knowledge. It is certain that in the

near future many species of Pheasants will become extinct in the wild

state, and now is the time to experiment and see how these birds can

be saved for posterity by being reared in captivity.


Begarding the Melanistic. From letters appearing in the various



