248 



SCRAPERS ; OR, POULTRY TRIBE. 



CHAPTER II. 



The PHEASANT Its origin Naturalized in England and 

 protected by law Food and habits of this bird Pugnacity 

 of the Cock Pheasant Account of the "crowing" of 

 Pheasants The Ringed Pheasant The Golden, the 

 Silver, the Argus, andthe Impey Pheasant. 



THE PHEASANT. This splendid, well-known inha- 

 bitant of our woods is generally supposed to have 

 come originally from the banks of the Phasis, a 

 river of ancient Colchis, which falls into the 

 easternmost part of the Black Sea ; but the time 

 of the introduction of this bird into our island 

 seems to be quite unknown. It is now extensively 

 spread throughout the greater part of Asia and 

 Europe. With us it is naturalized and generally 

 distributed over England, but is rare in Scotland. 

 Its favourite haunts are woods, where it is a more 

 than half-tame bird ; and indeed it comes like 

 our barn-door fowls at all hours of the day to be 

 fed, and where not disturbed, roosts in trees close 

 to our habitations. 



By the laws of England the pheasant is con- 

 sidered " game," and sportsmen must take out a 



