THE IMPEAN PHEASANT. 89 



before being removed from Sir Philip's residence. Those are 

 thought to be the only living specimens in Great Britain. 



The splendour and changeability of the tints upon the male of 

 this bird, is almost impossible to describe, either by words or the 

 pencil. The greater proportion of the plumage, is of varying hues 

 of green, steel-blue, violet, and golden bronze. Upon the head, 

 there is a crest of feathers, composed of a naked shaft, with an 

 oval tip, of a similar texture with the rest of the plumage, which 

 is capable of erection. The centre of the back is pure white, the 

 tail is plain, rounded, and of a bright chesnut ; the legs are armed 

 with strong spurs. The female is smaller than the male ; the 

 feathers of the head lengthening behind ; the throat, and fore part 

 of the neck pure white ; the rest of the plumage is of a pleasing 

 reddish brown, varied and mottled by spots and bars. There is 

 no trace whatever of the resplendent colours of the male. The 

 claws and beak, are well adapted to scratching up bulbous roots 

 and insects, of which they are particularly fond. 



The success of the Earl of Derby in breeding these pheasants, 

 gives hopes of their becoming a valuable addition to our game 

 birds, or a splendid ornament to our aviaries. 



To go more fully into the Pheasants, which are both numerous 

 and beautiful, would exceed the boundaries of our space. 



Some splendid skins of the magnificent Pheasants of China, the 

 Himalayan range, and Sumatra, have recently arrived in Dublin, 

 and have been beautifully put up by the celebrated taxidermist 

 and mineralogist, Mr. Glennon, of Suffolk-street. 



Pheasant shooting commences on the first day of October, and 

 ends on the first day of February. 



Having commenced with the Pheasant, and intending to give a 

 series of British and Irish game birds, although the early game is 

 now comparatively scarce, I cannot omit a description of the 

 Bustard, the Heron, and the Bittern, in compliment to our ances- 

 tors, which, in the palmy days of falconry, were considered the 

 very head and front of the game birds of Europe, and shall then 

 proceed to describe those with which our modern sportsmen are 

 more familiar, and the localities where they may be expected to 

 be most abundant. 



