BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 115 



eggs in a hollow scraped in the ground, usually at the 

 foot of a tree ; the eggs are very little larger than those 

 of the Grayhen, and are somewhat similar in colour, 

 but of warmer and richer tint. Incubation lasts about a 

 month. The slight differences between the chicks have 

 already been noted. 



The name ' Capercaillie ' is a Celtic word, so corrupt 

 as to be of doubtful derivation. It has been variously 

 rendered as 'bird'-, 'goaf-, 'old-man'-, and ' horse-of-the- 

 wood.' What significance might attach to the last version 

 we are not aware. The word is often spelt ' Capercaillzie ; ' 

 but, it should be noted, this makes no difference to the 

 pronunciation, as the ' z ' is mute. 



Family, PHASIANID^ (Pheasants, &c.). 



THE PHEASANT 



(Phasianus colchicus). 

 Plate 38. 



The Pheasant has really no right to be included in the 

 list of wild British birds, or to receive a place in this 

 book. But owing to its importance it is usual to give 

 it a place as a ' naturalised subject,' and we shall not 

 attempt to break through this accepted custom further 

 than to curtail our discussion of the species. In any 

 case, there is little of note to be said of the Pheasant 

 except from the point of view of sport, and that is beyond 

 our present purpose. 



The objections to regarding the Pheasant as a British wild 

 bird are three in number, and we may detail them here, 

 seeing that they are all points of importance in connec- 

 tion with the history of the bird. First and most import- 



