12 LLOYD’S -NATURAL HISTORY, 
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 07-072, 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. 
- There can be no doubt that if the Pheasant were not He 
ficially reared and annually turned down in this country, i 
would soon cease to exist, for, in hard winters especially, the “id 
birds left for stock are largely dependent on artificial feeding. 
The chief food consists of grain, seeds, berries, and young 
shoots, varied with insects and grubs, wire-worms being a 
favourite morsel. 
Pure-bred examples of P. colchicus are now rarely to be met 
with in England, the great majority of birds being hybrids with 
the Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant (P. torguatus), which was 
subsequently introduced. 
Like the rest of its kind, the Pheasant, though it roosts and 
often perches on trees, is essentially a ground bird, and a tre- 
mendous runner; the old cocks, having learnt wisdom from 
past experience, frequently refuse to rise at the net and face 
the guns so anxiously waiting to salute them, and may be seen 
running back among the beaters as fast as their legs can carry 
them. The whir made in yising is loud and startling, but 
