PHEASANT. 181 



The crow of the Pheasant, which bears but an humble re- 

 semblance to the 'Cock's shrill clarion,' is begun to be heard 

 in March, and then frequently in April and May. The hen 

 in like manner utters a low chirp a 'tshee,' when startled 

 to take wing, and a slight call on the appearance of any 

 danger. The cocks crow at all hours of the day, from the 

 time of quitting their night's roost to the time of their 

 again retiring to rest, and in the autumn early in the 

 morning or late at night. They are particularly excited by 

 thunder or any other loud noise, such as the blasting of 

 rocks, or the firing of cannon, even when so distant, as has 

 been observed, as thirty miles; while their own crowing in 

 concert on such occasions may be heard, it is said, at a 

 distance of two miles. The explosion of Curtis and Harvey's 

 powder mills, at Hounslow, was answered by them at a 

 distance of fifty miles, as witnessed by A. E. Knox, Esq. 

 'The Common Pheasant, as is well known,' says the Rev. 

 Leonard Jenyns, 'betrays the place of his repose by his 

 repeated crowing; the cock bird, for the hen appears to be 

 nearly mute on these occasions, springs from the ground on 

 to the tree selected for roosting with a harsh scream or 

 chuckle, that continues unremitted till he has assumed his 

 perch; it is then softened into a more harmonious crow, 

 consisting of two, and in some cases three notes, which are 

 repeated at intervals for a considerable time. Besides his 

 cry, which is heard to a considerable distance, there is a 

 weak inward noise immediately following, which sounds 

 exactly like an echo of the first, consisting of the same notes 

 only in a different key, and uttered very softly.' 



The nest, a very slight fabrication of a few leaves, is made 

 upon the ground, sometimes in the open fields, but more 

 commonly in woods and plantations, among underwood, under 

 fallen or felled boughs and branches of trees, in long grass, 

 and in hedgerows. 



The eggs are begun to be laid in April and May, one 

 after another for four, five, or six weeks, and incubation 

 lasts from twenty-four to twenty-six days. They are from 

 six to ten and even fourteen in number, smooth, and of a 

 light olive brown colour minutely dotted all over. Some are 

 greyish white tinged with green. The hen sits for four and 

 twenty hours on the brood after they are hatched, which 

 takes place in June or July, and they keep with her till 

 they begin to moult to the full plumage. They soon learn 



