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Y. Malisoux—Must Pheasants Boost?



MUST PHEASANTS ROOST?


By Y. Malisoux

Firebacks


My friend, Mr. P. J. Lambert, through whose kindness I became-

a member of the Avicultural Society, tells me that some of your readers-

might be interested in my answers to the two following questions :—


1. How do we avoid mishaps with the adult Firebacks ; that is ;

frostbite, poor breeding results, etc. ?


2. How do we prevent the young Firebacks from dying when about

two months old ?


I have a very strong opinion on these two problems, for I do not

consider that either exists. What exists really is two much more

generalized questions. One must state them as follows : (1) Are the

adult Pheasants properly housed in a logical manner in our aviaries ?

(2) While the chicks are growing are they also reared in a suitable

manner ? Oue must proceed methodically; first explain our problem,

then state the causes and finally offer suggestions, excluding everything

which comes out of the scope of the ordinary amateur fancier.


1. Adult Pheasants. In my opinion the way competent owners

manage their aviary Pheasants is good on most points. The food is

well balanced, the pens contain some form of shelter, which is partly

open and roofed. The aviaries are provided with shrubs and grass.

But they are generally faulty on one point, the birds are allowed to

roost at nights. I anticipate the reply : “ They do so in a state of

nature.” Quite so, but the state of nature is an “ ensemble ” and

widely different from aviary life. Nature affords Pheasants the

proper amount and right type of exercise, food, etc. Confinement does

so only in a restricted degree. With impoverished health the aviary

Pheasants have to face a climate not exactly suited to them. A slavish

imitation of nature is often ridiculous and seldom compensates for what

is faulty in captivity. Let us take an example. Twenty years ago the

apes of the London Zoo were known the world over because they lived

so much longer than those of other zoos. Was that due to an

exceptionally high temperature such as that which prevails in the

tropics ? Had they had built for them enormous big halls with artificial

forests, where they could swing from tree to tree as in their native



