226 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



the startled creatures covered with golden stars wildly flew out 

 from their hiding place, uttering their sharp and anxious cry, and 

 betraying a restless activity which showed off their spangled 

 feathers to great advantage. It is to be hoped that the cross-breed 

 may turn out to be handsome birds. The chicks which I saw in 

 June were almost pure white, indicating a closer resemblance to 

 the male than to the female parent. Mr Fleming informs me that 

 it is his intention, after a time, to turn out these birds also, so 

 that Ayrshire may shortly have the distinguished credit of intro- 

 ducing an entirely new breed into our Scottish preserves. 



One or two pairs of the true Phasianus versicolor lately escaped 

 from the pheasantry at Kilkerran, and are at present in a perfectly 

 thriving condition, frequenting a particular cover, and keeping for 

 the most part by themselves. Mr Fleming pointed out to me a 

 cock and hen bird during a recent visit to that place. The cry of 

 this species is much shriller than that of the common bird. 



There is a very handsome breed of ring-necked Pheasants on 

 part of Sir James Colquhoun's estates on the banks of Loch Lomond: 

 they are small and beautifully-shaped birds, and very active both 

 when running and on the wing. 



Although the Pheasant has been an inhabitant of the British 

 islands for the last six hundred years, it does not appear to have 

 been in early times the same precious subject for preservation as 

 it is at the present day. In the reign of Edward I. it was sold at 

 eightpence a brace. The first mention of the Pheasant in old 

 Scots Acts is in one dated 8th June, 1594, in which year a keen 

 sportsman occupied the Scottish throne. He might almost have 

 been called " James the protector" of all kinds of game. In the 

 aforesaid year he " ordained that quhatsumever person or persones 

 at ony time hereafter sail happen to slay deir, harts, phesants, 

 foulls, partricks, or uther wyld foule quhatsumever, ather with 

 gun, croce bow, dogges, halkes, or girnes, or be uther ingine quhat- 

 sumever, or that beis found schutting with ony gun therein," etc., 

 etc., shall pay the usual " hundreth punds," etc. 



It is certainly to be regretted that this bird and the partridge 

 should be associated with so much law-breaking and bloodshed. 

 Being in great request as delicacies for the table, they have always 

 been coveted by the lawless poacher, who is never at a loss to find 

 a market for his plunder. In this respect, however, the present 

 generation of sportsmen has, perhaps, less to complain of than the 



