THE PHEASANT. . 159 



idea which some people hold that, because 

 certain birds which do not belong to them, 

 happen to be rather difficult to catch, as well 

 as excellent eating, they may come and catch 

 them and carry them off, which is really a relic 

 of very old times. Of times when 



Deeds were many and men were few. 



When 



Wild in woods the noble savage ran. 



A North American Indian, who came and 

 settled in one of our midland counties, and saw 

 flocks of turkeys feeding in the stubbles, would 

 think it an intolerable injustice that he might 

 not kill and eat these birds when he pleased ; 

 and our own noble savages think it equally 

 hard that they may not kill and sell our 

 pheasants whenever they require either amuse- 

 ment combined with excitement, or a httle 

 money, and they find plenty of people, who 

 ought to know better, to pity them if they are 

 punished for doing this. A gentleman may 

 have turkeys, fowls, and pheasants roosting in 

 the trees round his house. If a stranger takes 



