Ornamental Pheasant Society



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Red-billed Pintail, Cape Shovellers, Rajah Sheldnck, Australian

Shelduck, and one female Cape Teal. There are also Flamingos and

Spoonbills.


After seeing all these, and being most impressed with their beauty,

variety, and the efficient way they are housed and cared for, we were

driven back to the Pavilion where tea was served and much enjoyed

by all of us. We then, took leave of our hosts and were driven back to

Winchester and so home. I know I voice the sentiments of all those

present in thanking Mr. and Mrs. Spedan Lewis for their kind

hospitality ; all were enthusiastic about the lovely collection we had

seen. I should also like to add to this a vote of thanks to our energetic

Secretary, Miss Knobel, for the trouble and extra correspondence that

was entailed in arranging for this most enjoyable day.



ORNAMENTAL PHEASANT SOCIETY


As mentioned in my notes last month, our Society propose to issue

Christmas cards for the use of members. The details of this innovation

have not yet been settled and the Committee has been left to make

final decisions. The main feature, however, will be the painting of an

Amherst cock by a well-known artist. It has been felt for a long time

that such a painting has been sorely needed. The Amherst has been

crossed with its near relative, the Golden, for many years, with the

result that to-day it is most difficult to obtain genuine pure Amhersts,

or for that matter Goldens. Many phasianists imagine they have pure

birds, but in reality they are hybrids, perhaps in many cases 90 per cent

pure, but that is not as it should be. Therefore, this plate will give

all details and characteristics of the pure Amherst cock, and will, we feel

sure, be appreciated by our members and others. Ten years ago there

were, perhaps, 100 Amhersts in this country, of which possibly more

than 50 per cent were pure birds. To-day there must be nearly 2,000

so-called Amhersts in Great Britain and it is safe to say that not more

than 20 per cent are pure, a very sad state of affairs. Yet things are

improving, four years ago there were not 5 per cent pure, since then

matters have been steadily improving and in a few years time hybrid

Amherst X Golden will be almost entirely eliminated. One of our



