308 Habits of the Pheasant. 



It is known that, in June, 1780, a similar hurricane oc- 

 curred ; and, at that time, Etna, and Volcano (one of the 

 Lipari Islands), were both in eruption. 



Parkstone, June 17. 1833. W. B. C. 



Art. II. The Habits of the Pheasant. 

 By Charles Waterton, Esq. 



This splendid well-known inhabitant of our woods and 

 plains is generally supposed to have come from Asia, though 

 the time of its arrival in this cold and cloudy climate seems 

 to be quite unknown. 



A variety of this bird, sometimes spotted and sometimes 

 milk-white, appears among the other pheasants, and breeds 

 with them. I have never yet been able to perceive that it 

 continues its white or varied plumage to the offspring. The 

 plumage of the white or pied pheasant seems purely acci- 

 dental, and is produced by a male and female of ordinary 

 colours. The ring-neck pheasant, so common in the more 

 northern parts of the kingdom, is never seen in this immediate 

 neighbourhood. 



By the laws of England, the pheasant is considered game ; 

 and the sportsman is under the necessity of taking out a 

 licence from government, in order to qualify himself to shoot 

 it, When we consider the habits of this bird, we are apt to 

 doubt of the propriety of placing it under the denomination 

 of force natura ; and I am one of those who think that it 

 would be a better plan to put it on the same footing with the 

 barn-door fowl, by making it private property ; that is, by 

 considering it the property of the person in whose field or 

 wood it may be found. The pheasant is a more than half- 

 reclaimed bird. While the hare and the partridge wander 

 in wildest freedom through the land, heedless of the fostering 

 care of man ; the bird in question will come to us, at all 

 hours of the day, to be fed. It will even sometimes associate 

 with the poultry on the farm ; and, where it is not disturbed, 

 it will roost in trees, close to our habitations. 



Its produce with the barn-door fowl is unprolific, and 

 seems to have nothing to recommend it to our notice on the 

 score of brilliancy of plumage, or of fineness of shape. 



The pheasant crows at all seasons, on retiring to roost. 

 It repeats the call, often during the night, and again at early 

 dawn ; and frequently in the daytime, on the appearance of 

 an enemy, or at the report of a gun, or during a thunder- 

 storm. I am of opinion that it does not pair. The female 

 lays from seven to eighteen eggs; but in general the nest 



