THE PHEASANT. 1 3D 



young ones, and prevent their breeding near the same 

 spot. 



r fhe Pheasant. 



The pheasant is a foreign bird, and was brought 

 into Europe from the bunks of the Phasis, a river of 

 Colchis, in Asia Minor, whence the name which it 

 still retains. 



Nothing can satisfy the eye with a greater variety 

 and richness of ornament than this beautiful creature. 

 The iris of the eye is yellow, and the eyes themselves 

 are surrounded with a scarlet colour, sprinkled with 

 small specks of black. On the fore part of the head 

 there are blackish feathers, mixed with a shining pur- 

 ple. The top of the head, and the upper part of the 

 neck, are tinged with a darkish green that shines like 

 silk. In some, the top of the head is of a shining 

 blue, and the head itself, as well as the upper part of 

 the neck, appears sometimes blue and sometimes 

 green, as it is differently placed to the eye of the 

 spectator. The feathers of the breast, the shoulders, 

 the middle of the back, and the sides under the 

 wings, have a blackish ground, with edges tinged of 

 an exquisite colour, which appears sometimes black 

 and sometimes purple, according to the different 

 situations in which it is seen ; under the purple there 

 is a transverse streak of a gold colour. The tail, 

 from the middle feathers to the root, is about IS 



