216



P. Lambert—Pheasants in Relation to Aviculture



they see a gorgeous Pheasant that has become extinct, and now only

to be viewed in a glass case ? What will they think of this generation

of aviculturists ? The O.P.S. is, I can assure you, doing a wonderful

work, and already plans are on foot to obtain many rare Pheasants.

In fact, some will be almost on their way when these notes are printed.

But the O.P.S. wants the co-operation of the great majority of the

members of this Avicultural Society. Many of you have the leisure

time to devote to the keeping and rearing of rare Pheasants. So I am

now making a most fervent and genuine appeal to you to join the

O.P.S. I would not suggest that fanciers who have never kept a

Pheasant before should immediately embark on the rare species ; it

would be advisable to make a start with some of the commoner species

such as Goldens, Silvers, Beeves, or Amhersts. By doing so they

would very soon learn to love them very much, and become imbued

with a desire to possess the rarer species. During the next three or

four years we simply must make a tremendous effort. At the moment

we have over 220 members of the O.P.S., and this is indeed most

satisfactory.


Now, if my appeal has the slightest effect on the readers of these

notes, readers who are members of the greatest avicultural Society in

the world, may I ask such fanciers to join the O.P.S. We want the

Avicultural Society and the O.P.S. to become a powerful force, and we

want to go hand in hand to help M. Delacour in a work which I can

truthfully say he has devoted the best years of his life to accomplish,

viz. to be able to say in ten years time, “ The Bulwer, the Temminck

Tragopan, the Blue Crossoptilon, the Peacock Pheasants, the Mikado,

and many others, are now safe from extinction.” Every member of

the Avicultural Society can help to make this ideal come true. I shall

not rest content until almost every member has joined the O.P.S.,

and then we shall rapidly see going forward one of the greatest schemes

ever known to the avicultural world, namely, the saving of these many

species of most lovely Pheasants, not merely for the present generation

to enjoy, but for our children, nay more, for our children’s children’s

children.


Our Secretary of the O.P.S., and what a worthy Secretary she is,

lives at Wellesbourne, Warwick, and the subscription to the O.P.S.

is a modest 65 . per annum. So please !



