Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 289 



have no doubt from what has been related to me that they are so 

 taken, and that the vile practice is resorted to on the western, as 

 well as the eastern side of the Irish Sea. An observant friend has 

 often remarked that during the absence of the pheasant from its nest 

 the eggs (sometimes thirteen in number) were covered with hay, 

 which he believed to have been always placed there by the bird 

 itself. 



Upon looking to notes on the food observed in opening nine phea- 

 sants, killed at various times and places during five months — from 

 December to April inclusive — I find that the stones of haws or fruit 

 of the white-thorn were contained in seven of them ; in addition to 

 these were grain, small seeds, and peas : one exhibited a few roots 

 of plants and twigs of trees : another was nearly filled with grass : 

 one only contained any insects — all presented numerous fragments 

 of stone. A pheasant which frequented our own garden daily for some 

 time in summer was accused of feeding on black currants ; the tops 

 of turnips are sometimes eaten ; and a fine cock bird was in the 

 habit of visiting a stable-yard in the vicinity of Belfast very early in 

 the morning for the purpose of feeding there. 



The Bishop of Norwich, in his ' Familiar History of Birds,' men- 

 tions an ungallant and furious assault of a cock-pheasant upon a 

 young lady when quietly walking on the highway, but who, never- 

 theless, seized her assailant and carried him home. Though, per- 

 haps, not a rare instance in the case of the barn-door fowl, it may 

 be worth noticing, that a fine cock of this species kept in our own 

 yard, on more than one occasion assaulted an old cook who nowise 

 meddled with him, though she did sometimes lay hold of some of 

 the members of his seraglio. She was once indisposed for a few 

 days after his attack, on which occasion he, according to her own 

 version, had struck her " severely with his spurs between the ribs." 

 In April 1842 the following paragraph appeared in a Dublin news- 

 paper : — " On Sunday se'nnight, a child named Martha Collins, living 

 at Harold's-cross, was sent by her mother to a livery-stable yard 

 in the neighbourhood, kept by a Mr. Smith. On entering the yard, 

 a cock flew at the child and struck her three or four times in the face 

 and other parts of the head, cutting her with each blow. A woman, 

 also named Collins, resident in the yard, hearing the screams of the 

 little sufferer, ran to her assistance and rescued her. On the Tuesday 

 following, it was considered necessary to have medical aid, and the 

 child was shown to Dr. Monks, who at once pronounced the case 

 fatal. The child expired the next day. An inquest was held on the 

 body, and a verdict according to the above-mentioned circumstance 

 returned." 



In the work last mentioned, a mousing hen is alluded to (vol. ii. 

 p. 97. 3rd ed.), which reminds me that in my young days there was 

 a hen of our own stock which took an especial delight in mouse- 

 hunting, and often have I seen her carrying her victims about as if 

 in triumph. 



Gold Pheasant (P. pictus), Silver Pheasant (P. nyctheme- 

 ris). As it is interesting to know the age which these birds will 

 Ann. i^ Mag, N, Hist. Vol.xi. U 



