190 THE EVOLUT1 AT LARGE. 



the Scottish moors. But so far youthful 

 innocence prevails ; no sentinels as yet are 

 set to watch for the distant gleam of metal. 

 and no foreshadowing of man's evil intent 

 disturbs their minds as they feed in fancied 

 security upon the dry seeds of the marsh 

 plants in their favourite sedges. 



The great families of the pheasants and 

 partridges, in which the blackcock must be 

 included, may be roughly divided into two 

 main divisions so far as regards their appear- 

 ance and general habits. The first class con- 

 sists of splendidly coloured and conspicuous 

 birds, such as the peacock, the golden phea- 

 sant, and the tragopan ; and these are, almost 

 without exception, originally jungle-birds of 

 tropical or sub-tropical lands, though a few 

 of them have been acclimatised or domesti- 

 cated in temperate countries. They live in 

 regions where they have few natural enemies, 

 and where they are little exposed to the 

 attacks of man. Most of them feed more or 

 less upon fruits and bright-coloured food- 



