190 RING-NECKED PHEASANT. 



brane to the first joint. The hind toe is articulated 

 upon the tarsus, which, in the males, is furnished 

 with a strong conical sharp spur. The plumage of 

 the male is generally of the most brilliant tints. In 

 their habits, the Pheasants exhibit all the characters 

 of the rasorial birds : they live on fruits and roots, 

 and the larger seeds, are remarkably active upon the 

 ground ; and though their short and concave wings 

 prevent them from taking a long and sustained flight, 

 their power is sufficient to cany them away from 

 ordinary dangers ; while in the form of the tail and 

 rump feathers, or upper tail-coverts, we find the same 

 fulness which we have seen to be so extraordinarily 

 developed in the peacock, turkey, and cocks. 



For our first illustration, and as typical of this 

 group, we have selected the Common Pheasant, fa- 

 miliar to every one, and universally admired, for 

 the richness and beauty of his plumage- It is now 

 generally admitted that the Pheasant was originally 

 introduced into Europe from the banks of the Pha- 

 sis *, a river in Chalchis in Asia Minor. The Greeks, 

 in the ascent of the stream, were attracted by their 

 beauty ; and the bird being so easily domesticated, 

 a valuable addition to the luxury of themselves and 

 the Romans was soon secured, and rapidly extended 

 itself over the southern countries of Europe. They 

 appeared at the expensive and superabundant repasts 

 of the ancients, and for a time bore the palm for no- 



* Now the Rioni. 



