4 PHEASANTS FOB COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



months of the year. Amongst forest plants^it likes the seeds- 

 of the hemp-nettle [Galeopsis], and it also feeds on almost all' 

 the seeds that the farmer sows." 



To this long catalogue of its continental fare may be- 

 added the roots of the silver weed {Fotrntilla annerina), andi 

 those of the pig-imt or earth-nut [Bunium iiexuosum) , and the- 

 tubers of the common buttercups {Ranunculus bulhosus and' 

 R. ficaria), which are often scratched out of the soil and eaten. 

 Macgillivray states that " One of the most remarkable facts- 

 relative to this bird that has come under my observation, was- 

 the presence of a very large quantity of the fronds of the 

 comimm polypody {Polypodium vulgare) in the crop of one- 

 which I opened in the winter of 1835. I am not aware that 

 any species of fern has ever been found constituting part of 

 the food of a ruminating quadruped or gallinaceous bird; and 

 if it should be found by experiment that the pheasant 

 thrives on such substances, advantage might be taken of the 

 circumstance." 



Thompson, in his "Natural History of Irelaud," recounts 

 the different varieties of food he observed in opening the- 

 crops of ten pheasants — from November to April inclusive.. 

 In seven he discovered tile fruit of the hawthorn, with grain,, 

 small seeds, and peas. In one no less than thirty-seven 

 acorns. Another had its crop nearly filled with grass; only 

 one contained any insects, the period of examination being 

 the colder months of the year ; in summer the pheasant is 

 decidedly insectivorous ; all contained numerous fragments 

 of stone. He also records that in. the spring the yellow 

 flowers of the pile wort [Ranunculus ficaria) are always eatem 

 in large quantity, as are the tuberous roots of the common 

 silver weed [Potentilla dnserina), when they are turned up by 

 cultivation. Mr. Thompson adds : " While spending the- 

 nionth of January, 1849, at the sporting quarters of 

 Ardiuiersy Cottage, Island of Islay, where pheasants are- 

 abundant, and attain a very large size — the ring-necked, 

 variety, too, being common — I observed that these birds, in. 



