324 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Habits in a state of nature. 



and it never visits the cleared grounds, nor the 

 settlements. It associates in numerous flocks, 

 and frequents alike moist and mountainous situ- 

 ations. It walks and runs, rather than flies; 

 since it never rises more than a few feet from the 

 ground, and then only to reach some short dis- 

 tance, or to gain some low branch. It feeds on 

 wild fruits; and, when surprised in its haunts, 

 makesrits escape by the swiftness of its feet, at 

 the same time emitting a shrill cry not unlike 

 that of a turkey. 



The female scratches up the earth at the foot 

 of large trees, making a hole in which she depo- 

 sits her egg. She never collects any kind of sub- 

 stance to line it, nor makes any other kind of 

 nest. She lays from ten to sixteen eggs, ac- 

 cording to her age, and produces three broods i 

 a year. 



THE PHEASANT. 



MODERN naturalists seem to agree that the 

 pheasant is a native of the old continent, and 

 ancient authors have supposed it to have been 

 originally found on the banks of the Phasis, a 

 river of Colchis, in Asia Minor, from which its 

 name also appears to be derived. However that 

 be, the species has long been spread over the 

 greatest part of the known world, and for many 

 ages has been held in high estimation, both on 

 5 



