The Chinese species of pheasants have a much more splendid plumage than the British-bred pheasant. Their plumage is truly magnificent, and should find a place in every aviary. The Golden pheasant is one blaze of splendour, reminding one almost of the description of birds in some fairy tale. In contrast to the gorgeous plumage of the Golden, we have the delicately-tinted Silver pheasant, also from the same country; but they are getting common in this country now - in fact, no aviary is considered complete without them; and it is generally supposed that if they were turned out, as the other common pheasant is, they would thrive equally well.

There is one description of pheasant which has splendid plumage, generally known as Reeves' pheasant. The feathers in the tail of the male bird are very nearly six feet long.

The Japanese pheasants are also remarkable for their extraordinarily beautiful plumage. They are in their manners and habits exactly the same as our own common pheasant.

The Himalaya mountains in Hindostan have a remarkably extraordinary description of pheasant called the Horned pheasant. The plume of this bird is also extremely beautiful.

The Argus pheasant of Sumatra and the adjacent islands should also be found in our aviaries. The wings of this bird are covered with beautiful spots, which the male bird is proud of showing when strutting in the society of the female birds. It is also remarkable for the extraordinary development of the secondary quill feathers of the wings, which, although an impediment in flying, are of very great assistance when running, which it does very swiftly. The tail of this bird is also beautifully spotted; and when disporting with the female birds, it is raised aloft and spread to show its beauty. The generality of pheasants feed on grain of various descriptions; but there is one found in Nepaul, called the Im-peyan pheasant, which lives principally on bulbous roots, and its bill is of the shape of a scoop, which enables it to raise them with ease. The plumage of the male bird is perfectly resplendent. It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of the several tints - changing and changing again and again with the dazzling hues of green, steel-blue, and golden bronze. At a first glance one would imagine the bird clothed in scale armour. It has a crested head, of a naked shaft of feathers. The back of this splendid bird is of the purest white.

The female varies in its plumage from the male bird, being altogether of a sombre hue, bearing no resemblance whatever to the transcendent beauty of the cock. The young birds are plumed much in the same manner as the female.