556 MODERN FARRIER. 



ground, sometimes they remain all day, or all night, 

 where they fed the preceding evening or morning. 

 At day break they call, and, when collected, gene- 

 rally take their flight to the stubbles, which, if high 

 and thick enough to afford shelter, will induce them 

 to remain there till disturbed ; however, particidarly 

 in dry weather, they are frequently found at this 

 tiQie among potatoes. After feeding in the even- 

 ing, they again call, and fly to the place where they 

 intend to remain for the night. When calling, they 

 seldom lie well for the sportsman to approach with- 

 in gun-shot. 



Pheasant-shooting. 



This is a laborious sport ; but before we enter into 

 the merits of the diversion, it will be necessary to 

 make some observations on the game. 



The pheasant is a beautifid bird, and derives its 

 name from its native soil, having been brought into 

 Europe from the banks of Ph^esis, a river of Colchis 

 in Asia Minor. The iris of the eye is yellow, and 

 the eyes themselves are surrounded with a scarlet 

 colour, sprinkled with small specks of black. On 

 the fore-part of the head are blackish feathers, mixed 

 with a shining purple. The top of the head, and 

 the upper part of the neck, are tinged with a darkish 

 green that shines like silk. In some, the top of the 

 head is a shining blue, and the head itself, as well 

 as the upper part of the neck, appears sometimes 

 blue and sometimes green, as the eye of the spec- 

 tator may be situated. The feathers of the breast, 

 the shoulders, the middle of the back, and the sides 

 under the wings, have a blackish ground, with 

 edges tinged with a colour which varies like the 

 head and neck, appearing sometimes black and 

 sometimes purple: under the purple is a transverse 

 streak of a gold colour. The tail, from the middle 



