102 ; te-<;V*pON PHEASANT 



damage being proportionate to the age of the plants, presence, 

 depth and continuance of the snow. Where the snow ranged from 

 i to 3 ft. or more in depth, as resulted from drifting, hares had 

 access to the tops of trees 6 to 8 ft. on the snow-drifts, they suffering 

 almost as much damage as trees of 3 to 4 ft. height did where only 

 a few inches of snow was on the ground. Hares always nibble, 

 gnaw, and peel above the snow-line. Rabbits, on the other hand, 

 take up their abode in the " caves " formed by snow overlying ever- 

 greens, where they feed on the stems, and on the weather breaking 

 up, acres of cover, such as common laurel, soon become an eyesore. 

 Rabbits, unlike hares, nibbling here and there, clear all their food- 

 plants before them in successional order from their burrows, though 

 travelling considerable distances to secure special food, especially 

 in hard winters and in deep snows continuing more or less, where 

 cover offers, till the snow departs. 



WINGED GAME 



The COMMON PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus), Fig. 65, belongs 

 to the Rasorial or Gallinaceous Birds, forming the type of the family 

 Phasianidae (pheasants), which is distinguished by the moderate 

 size and compressed form of the bill, the upper mandible being 

 distinctly arched and overhanging the tip of the lower mandible. 

 The upper mandible is naked at the base, the nostrils are placed 

 at the base of the mandible, and are covered by a scale ; the cheeks 

 are naked, and together with the region of the eyes are covered by 

 a reddish skin. The wings are short, the tail is long, wedge- 

 shaped, and consists of eighteen feathers. The three front toes 

 are united by a membrane up to the first joint, and the hind toe 

 is articulated to the tarsus. The male possesses a horny, sharp tarsal 

 spur. 



The Common Pheasant was known to the ancient Greeks and 

 Romans. Aristophanes notices it, as also does Aristotle and 

 Athenaeus. Jason was reported to have brought it, in the famous 

 ship Argo, from Colchis, the modern Mingrelia, a district situated 

 on the eastern side of the Black Sea. It extends in its distribu- 

 tion over Southern Europe, and is said to even exist in Siberia. It 

 is the Fasiano of Italy and the Faison of France. To Southern 

 Europe the pheasant was probably introduced by the Greeks or 

 Romans, and thence into Britain, it being very improbable that it 

 was introduced directly from the banks of the Phasis (now the 

 Rion), a river of ancient Colchis. Indeed, the date of the pheasant's 

 introduction into Britain and by whom and from whence is un- 

 decided. In Edward I's time (1272-1307) the value of a pheasant 

 was about 4^. of the then currency, now (1908) the price is 55. 6d. 

 per brace. 



The pheasant is a well-known tenant of our woods and thickets, 



