PHEASANT. 



there are none of a stronger colour than white fowls and black, 

 and white is stronger than black. Other fowls approach more to 

 the colour of the pheasant (the brown fowl particularly to that of 

 the hen pheasant), at least than these two colours of white and 

 black. Fowls of another colour than white will be introduced 

 again soon after, as a concurrent proof, that white pheasants are 

 not a mule breed between the barn door cock and the hen 

 pheasant. 



" In proof of the effect of the influence of impression on the 

 senses from outward appearances, we might here allude to the 

 human species, and the impression which is often unfortunately 

 made on mothers, from objects of deformity, 



" In the above remarks, the writer has ventured an opinion on 

 the probable cause of white pheasants. He leaves it to others to 

 judge how far he is right or wrong. But however this may be, 

 he will now endeavour to show, that whatever may be the cause 

 of this lusus naturae in the pheasant, yet that there are the 

 strongest grounds for presuming, that the white pheasant is not 

 a mule bird, between the barn door cock and the hen pheasant. 

 And, 



ei First, it is conceived, that the white pheasant is not a mule 

 bird, between the barn door cock and the hen pheasant, from the 

 circumstance, that it is one of the laws of nature, that the young 

 of all animals should be formed more after the male than the 

 female parent, have more of the shape, nature, and properties, of 

 the former, than of the latter. This is well known to the breeders 

 of cattle. If a horned ram be put to an ewe without horns, the 

 offspring will have horns. On the contrary, let the ewe be 

 horned, and the ram without horns, and the lamb will be without 

 horns; in both cases taking after the ram. A mule was once 

 pointed out to the writer of these remarks as something extra- 

 ordinary, from its being the foal of an ass covered by a Portuguese 

 horse, which happened to be brought over to this country by an 

 officer. It was thought an extraordinary production, since the 

 stallion refuses the she ass, and consequently all our mules are 

 produced from the ass and the mare, and not from the horse and 



