PHEASANT. 99 



Partridges' and Pheasants' eggs, the hens of both species 

 having been observed sitting side by side in perfect amity. 

 The common fowl has also been taken into partnership ; and 

 three wild hen Pheasants are said to have availed themselves 

 of the nest of a tame Duck. Lofty situations, such as old 

 nests and squirrels' dreys in trees, are sometimes selected, but 

 the entire brood is rarely brought down in safety. Cock birds, 

 as a rule, take no share whatever in the duties of incubation ; 

 yet there are a few well-authenticated instances of their having 

 been seen sitting on nests in covers, as well as in aviaries, and 

 also of their assuming the protection of the young brood. 



The food of Pheasants in a wild state consists of grain, 

 seeds, green leaves, and insects, especially ants and their 

 larvae, which form the chief sustenance of the young. They 

 have been observed pulling down ripe blackberries from a 

 hedge-side, and later in the year flying up into high bushes 

 to pick sloes and haws. The root of the buttercup, Ranun- 

 culus bulbosus, and also the pilewort crowfoot, Ranunculus 

 fcaria, forms a great portion of their food during the 

 months of May and June, and at the latter end of autumn 

 their crops are often found to be distended with acorns of so 

 large a size, that they could not have been swallowed without 

 great difficulty. The "spangles" or galls of the oak are 

 also favourite food. Pheasants destroy enormous numbers 

 of injurious insects ; no less than 1,200 wire-worms having 

 been taken out of the crop of a single bird, and from 

 another Mr. F. Bond extracted 440 grubs of the crane-fly. 

 Several instances are on record of the slow-worm (Anguis 

 fragilis) being devoured, and there is one instance of a 

 Pheasant being found dead, evidently choked by swallowing 

 a short- tailed field-mouse. The leaves of the yew-tree have 

 also been known to prove fatal, and shot, picked up in the 

 covers, has produced lead-poisoning.* Towards and through- 

 out the winter, Pheasants in preserves, to prevent them from 

 straying away in their search for food, require to be supplied 

 constantly with barley in the straw, or beans, or both ; and 

 one good mode of inducing them to stop at home is to sow 



* W. B. Tegetmeier, 'Pheasants/ Ed. 2, p. 88. 



