The Common Pheasant 209 



Phasisj the famous scene of the expedition of the Argon- 

 auts. After the days of the Crusaders the pheasant 

 became the most popular bird in the Western countries, 

 and in France especially was the object of Royal pro- 

 tection But with the fall of the old regime the laws 

 protecting the bird were relaxed or revoked, with the 

 result that the numbers of pheasants in that country 

 have been dwindling for some years, until there is a 

 likelihood of its early extinction. 



