P. J. Lambert—The Culture of Ornamental Pheasants 13


stagger the Pheasant world. He has promised to send one very shortly

so we shall have but little time to wait and then let me be allowed to

retire gracefully. Then the Tragopans and Indian Monal: personally

I am of the opinion that the latter are more difficult to rear than the

former. Possibly the principal secret with Monals is to keep them from

getting wet (this of course does not apply to adults) and also a larger

proportion of insect food is necessary. As for Tragopans one almost

feels that they can be reared on nothing but green food: most certainly

lettuces form the largest part of their daily diet. The Cheer Pheasant

has now been reared in England and my friend Mr. Stallard is to be

congratulated on this achievement.


Looking at the matter from a broad viewpoint, I maintain it is far

more satisfactory and more entertaining to keep birds in captivity that

one knows can be reared, rather than those that it would seem impossible

to breed from. Admitted that many fortunate fanciers can afford

to keep rare birds with but poor hopes of rearing successes, when such

fanciers are successful, I can quite imagine that their hearts swell

with justifiable pride. But the average fancier is not able so to indulge

his fancy. Therefore Pheasant culture should make a tremendous

appeal to one and all. In case any reader may feel inclined to keep

a few Pheasants it will be advisable to make a start with such as Goldens

and Amhersts, for by so doing we shall immediately be in possession of

birds of surpassing beauty, the plumage of which will rank high

with any bird in the world. Is there a more colourful bird in the world

than the friendly little Golden ? Is there a bird of more entrancing

beauty than the Amherst cock ? Such species are the ideal Pheasants

with which to build up a collection.


It would be a mistake to think that Pheasants give any trouble

to the person looking after them. A simple feed of corn is all that is

necessary to keep them in good health. With the exception of a few

of the rarer species they are extremely hardy and would seem to revel

in cold and stormy weather: it takes a mighty gale to blow a Pheasant

off its perch in the outside flight. One has only to visit the aviaries on a

cold frosty night, and one would see a large proportion of the Pheasants

roosting outside, the frost glittering on their backs and tails, but

perfectly content. From this remark it will be obvious that only



