68 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



away from the spot. I once started a Hen Pheasant with a 

 single young one, seemingly only a few days old ; there might 

 have been more, but I observed only this one. The mother 

 fluttered before me for a moment, but suddenly darted towards 

 the young one, seized it in her bill, and flew ofi" along the sur- 

 face through the woods with great steadiness and rapidity, till 

 she was beyond my sight, leaving me in great surprise at the 

 incident. I made a very close and active search around the spot 

 for the rest, but without success. Here was a striking instance 

 of something more than what is termed blind instinct, in this 

 remarkable deviation from her usual manoeuvres when she has 

 a numerous brood. It would have been impossible for me to 

 have injured the affectionate mother who had exhibited such an 

 example of presence of mind, reason, and sound judgment as 

 must have convinced the most bigoted advocate of mere instinct. 

 To carry off a whole brood in this manner at once, Avould have 

 been impossible, and to attempt to save one at the expense of the 

 the rest, would be unnatural. She, therefore, usually takes the 

 only possible mode of saving them in that case, by decoying the 

 person in pursuit of herself, by such a natural imitation of lameness 

 as to impose on most people. But here, in the case of a single, 

 solitary young one, she instantly altered her plan, and adopted 

 the most simple and effectual means for its preservation. The 

 Pheasant usually springs within a few yards, with a loud whir- 

 ring noise, and flies with great vigor through the woods, beyond 

 reach of view, before it alights. With a good dog, however', 

 they are easily found, and at some times exhibit a singular 

 degree of infatuation, by looking down from the branches where 

 they sit, on the dog below, who, the more noise he keeps up, 

 seems the more to confuse and stupify them, so that they may 

 be shot down one by one till the whole are killed, without 

 attempting to fly off. In such cases, those on the lower limbs 

 must be taken first ; for should the upper be first killed, in their 

 fall they alarm those below, who immediately fly off. In deep 

 snows they are usually taken in traps, commonly dead traps. 

 At this season, when suddenly 



