NON-DOMESTICITY— DISTRIBUTION. 29 



reign of King Henry the First, which commenced on the 

 second of August, 1100; and Daniell, in his "Eural Sports," 

 quotes " Echard's History of England " to the effect that in 

 the year 1299 (the twenty- seventh of Edward I.) the price 

 •of a pheasant was fourpence, a couple of woodcocks three- 

 halfpence, a mallard three-halfpence, and a plover one 

 penny. 



'^ To these notices," writes the Rev. James Davis in the 

 ■Saturday Review, "might have been added another which 

 seems to set the pheasant at a higher premium — to wit, 

 that in 1170 Thomas a Becket, on the day of his martyrdom, 

 •dined on a pheasant, and enjoyed it, as it would seem from 

 the remark of one of his monks, that ' he dined more heartily 

 .and cheerfully that day than usual.' " 



Those who are interested in the subject will find a most 

 interesting series of extracts respecting the mediteval history 

 of this bird in Mr. Harting's " Ornithology of Shakespeare," 

 from which we quote the following : 



" Leland, in his account of the feast given at the inthronisa- 

 tion of George Nevell, Archbishop of York, in the reign of 

 Edward IV., tells us that, amongst other good things, two 

 hundred ' fesauntes ' were provided for the guests. 



"In the 'Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York,' 

 under date * the xiiij'^ day of Novembre,' the following entry 

 •occurs : 



" ' Itm. The same dav to Eicliard Myluer of 

 Byndfeld for bringing a present of fesauntes 

 cokkes to the Queen to Westminster ... vs.' 



"In the 'Household Book' of Henr}^ Percy, fifth Earl 

 ■of Northumberland, which w^as commenced in 1512, the 

 pheasant is thus referred to : 



" ' Item, Fesauntes to be had for my Lordes own Mees at 

 Principall Feestes and to be at xijd. apece. 



