Origin — Age. 117 



thors to have been originally found on the 

 banks of the Phasis, whence the name was 

 probably derived. The Argonauts, in their 

 celebrated expedition to Colchis, together 

 with the golden fleece, brought back with 

 them tlie Asiatic pheasant, a bird, the 

 plumage of which was equally rich and re- 

 splendant with the fleece. This bird, in- 

 deed, may well vie with the peacock, if not 

 for gaudiness, yet for the richness, variety, 

 and sober majesty of its colours, and for 

 tlie beautiful symmetry of its form ; and 

 when Crcesus, king of Lydia, was seated 

 on his throne, adorned with royal magnifi- 

 cence, and all the blazing pomp of Eastern 

 splendour, it is recorded that he asked So- 

 lon whether he had ever before beheld so 

 much finery. The Greek philosopher re- 

 plied, he had seen the beautiful plumage of 

 the pheasant, and had found nothing su- 

 perior. 



The pheasant is not a long-lived bird ; 

 but it is probable the period of exist- 

 ence assigned to it by some writers, name- 

 ly, six or seven years, is too short. The 



