PHEASANTS. 



SECTION XIII. 



Pheasants. 



I ACKNOWLEDGED myself obliged to Mr. Castang, 

 formerly of the Menagerie in the Hampstead Road, 

 near Tottenham-Court Road, London, for several 

 novel particulars in the additions to the first edition 

 of this work, which particulars are now arranged 

 under their proper heads. I have been since under 

 a further obligation to the same intelligent and ex- 

 perienced person, on the subject of pheasants, with 

 which my own practical acquaintance has not 

 hitherto been very extensive. 



The PHEASANT (phasianus) is a native of the old 

 continent, and supposed by ancient authors to have 

 been originally found on the banks of the PHASIS, 

 whence the name was probably derived. The Ar- 

 gonauts, in their celebrated expedition to Colchis, 

 together with the golden fleece, brought back with 

 them the Asiatic pheasant, a bird, the plumage of 

 which was equally rich and resplendent with the 

 fleece. Authors, however, differ on this point of 

 ancient history ; a discrepancy of no material conse- 

 quence here. This bird, indeed, may well vie with 

 the peacock, if not for gaudiness, yet for the rich- 

 ness, variety, and sober majesty of its colours, and 



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