64 PHEASANTS 



in this respect may be readily appreci- 

 ated by the contents of a dozen crops, 

 as recorded at different times in the 

 columns of the Field, or by such 

 approved authorities as Yarrell, Macgilli- 

 vray, Thompson and Millais. 



1. 8 young vipers. 



% A slow worm nine inches in length. 



3. A short-tailed field-mouse (strangled its con- 



sumer). 



4. Full of coloured snails from the bents (Island 



of Islay). 



5. ISOO wire- worms. 



6. 726 wire-worms, 1 acorn, 1 snail, 9 holly 



berries, 3 grains of wheat. 



7. Full of grass. 



8. Full of fronds of a fern {Polypodium vulgare), 



9. Full of yellow flowers of buttercup. 



10. 37 large acorns. 



11. 24 full-sized hazel-nuts, and many large insect 



larvae. 



12. 400 leather-jackets, or grubs of the Daddy- 



long-legs. 



The presence of the dreaded heather- 

 beetle lends an interest to the following 

 recent analysis of a pheasant's meal : — 



Contents of crop of young pheasant cock killed 

 800 feet above sea-level on moorland far from all 



