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PHEASANT.

Tue pheasant is a superbly handsome bird, but is
not thought to have been originally a native of these
kingdoms, but to have been introduced at some remote
period from some foreign corntry.

Montagu well remarks that the various tints of green,
gold, blue, and violet in its plumage exceed description,
while they are at the same time too well known to
need it. He further adds, “It is a foolish bird, and
when roused will frequently perch on the first tree, and
is so intent upon the dogs, as to suffer the sportsman
to approach very near. At the time they perch they
most frequently crow, or make a chuckling noise, by
which the unfair sportsman is led to their destruction.
The poachers catch them in nooses made of wire, horse-
hair twisted, and even with a brier set in the like
manner at the verge of a wood; for they always run
to feed in the adjacent fields morning and evening.
Besides these, they are taken by a wire fastened to a
long pole, and by that. means taken off their roost at
night, or by fixing a hunch of matches lighted at the
end of a pole, are suffocated, and drop off the perch.
Foxes also destroy a great many, in particular the females
when sitting on their nest.

The pheasant is found partially in most parts of
England, but not so plentifully in the north, and rarely
in ‘Scotland. Wood and corn lands seem necessary to
its existence; it is partial to oak and beech woods, on
the seed of which it feeds; buckwheat is also a favourite
food. In the autumn they frequent turnip-fields. Large