DOMESTICATED NATURE. 



a number of breeders and fanciers of the bird, and 

 to a certain degree of that of the author. It is 

 probable they may yet be found generally correct. 

 The author, however, records with pleasure a 

 notable exception ; at the same time wishing it may 

 cease to form an exception. During the season of 

 1822, Mr. Lightfoot of Harlow Hill, near Northum- 

 berland, kept a brace of pheasants in a domesticated 

 state. The hen laid the surprizing number of, 

 seventy-four eggs. A gentleman at Birmingham, 

 also, has a wild hen pheasant in his garden, the hen 

 laying. They are familiar with their feeders, but 

 cannot bear the sight of a stranger. In 1 826, a soli- 

 tary cock pheasant made , his appearance as far 

 north as a valley of the Grampians, being the first 

 that had been seen in that northern region. 



The natural NEST of the pheasant is composed of 

 dry grass and leaves, which being provided for her 

 in confinement she will sometimes properly dispose. 

 The cock is bold, voracious, and cruel; and one 

 which I had many years ago, caught a canary bird 

 which had accidentally escaped, and was observed 

 with it beneath his talons, in the proper attitude of 

 the hawk, tearing it to pieces and devouring it. 

 Pheasants have been seen preying upon a dead car- 

 case, in company with carrion crows, and it has been 

 said that they will fall upon a diseased and weak 

 companion of their own species, and devour it. 

 They feed upon all kinds of insects and vermin, 

 like the peacock, and are said to be particularly 

 greedy of toads, provided they be not too large 



