COMMON PHEASANT. 293 



and taking part in the duties of protecting and rearing the 

 young. In this as in other countries where Pheasants are 

 reared for sport, the greater number of birds killed are cocks, 

 and hence, in the following spring, there is generally a pre- 

 ponderance of females, which may account for the polygamous 

 habits of introduced birds. The males are remarkably quarrel- 

 some in the pairing season, fighting fiercely with one another 

 for the different females, the more powerful birds appropriating 

 the lion's share for their harem. When the females have laid 

 their full complement of eggs, the male troubles his head no 

 more about them, leaving them to undertake all the cares of 

 rearing their family unaided. They cannot be called good 

 mothers, for, unlike the majority of game-birds, on the approach 

 of danger, they seek safety in flight, leaving the young to 

 escape and hide themselves as best they can. This habit is 

 often extremely disastrous to the brood, especially when the 

 chicks are very small, for, on her return, the mother is 

 apparently perfectly satisfied with finding one or two of her 

 scattered young, and the remainder are consequently left to 

 perish. For this reason gamekeepers are naturally anxious that 

 the coverts, where " wild birds " are breeding, should not be 

 disturbed during the nesting-season, and it is hardly surprising 

 that they should treat trespassers with scant courtesy. The 

 majority of birds shot annually in the large preserves in this 

 country and in Europe are, of course, reared from eggs placed 

 under domestic hens, who make excellent mothers to their 

 foster-children. On leaving her nest in the morning and 

 evening in search of food, the hen Pheasant is always careful 

 to cover her eggs with dead leaves, and she generally quits and 

 returns to her nest on the wing, thus avoiding as far as possible 

 the danger of being tracked by her enemies. 



The crow of the male resembles the syllables or-o?'k, which 

 are often repeated several times in succession, and may be 

 exactly imitated by opening the mouth and drawing the breath 

 in sharply to the back of the throat. This call is generally to 

 be heard in the morning and evening, especially about sunset, 

 when the birds are going to roost, but during the pairing 

 season it may be heard at all times of the day, and is also 

 given vent to when they are flushed or suddenly startled by 

 the report of a gun or a clap of thunder. 



