J. Delacour—Pheasant Notes : Status at Liberty and in Captivity 273


but a mongrel. The appearance of such an interesting mutation as

the “ Melanistic Mutant ” may be recalled. It would be of very great

importance to establish and propagate, in a pure state, such fine

races as the Mongolian, the Corean, the Chinese Bingneck, the Formosan,

the Versicolor (or Japanese Green), the Prince of Wales’s Pheasants,

and indeed all the well-marked geographical forms.


The Long-tailed Pheasants of the genus Syrmaticus are very

attractive. They probably ought to be classified in different genera,

as their hybrids are mostly infertile, at least the hens.


Peeves’ Pheasant, one of the finest of all, is getting rare in many

of its former strongholds in China, and has not been imported for

a long time. It is, however, quite well established in France, as much

at liberty as in aviaries, and there need be no fear for its future. The

different Japanese Copper Pheasants (scintillans , soemmerringii, and

ijimce), still fairly numerous in Japan, remain rare in our pheasantries,

although they often breed easily. But they are of extremely pugnacious

habits, and it is often difficult to pair them up without accidents.


Elliot’s Pheasant is said to have become scarce in Eastern China,

although a few specimens are brought over now and then. But it is

fairly well established in captivity, especially in France.


The Mikado Pheasant, from Formosa, very fine in its dark blue

and white dress, has always been very rare. I keep a good stock of

these birds and breed some every year, but they are not very prolific.


Golden and Amherst’s Pheasants, whose indescribable beauty is

well known to all, are still common in their native Chinese haunts as

well as in captivity. No wild Amherst’s had been imported for over

sixty years when I brought some from Yunnan in 1930 ; it was most

useful, as nearly all European bred specimens have traces of Golden

blood.


The Bronze-tail ( Chalcurus ) is a member of the Peacock-Pheasant

group (Polyplectrons) but its voice and display recall those of the

Golden Pheasant, and it forms a transition between them. Not bright,

but pretty and small, it is scarce, or at least difficult to find, in the

mountain forests of Sumatra. It was only imported a few years ago,

but I found it easy to breed and prolific. It ought to establish itself

well in Europe. It still is a very uncommon bird. Its Malay



