THE PHEASANT. 151 



another head. Much depends upon the science of the cook for 

 the delicacy of all game; but in no kind of game is the superiority 

 of cooking shown more than in the serving up of pheasants, which 

 may be rendered as tough and dry as a chip or as delicate and 

 juicy as a reed-bird. It is no unusual thing to receive English 

 game on this side of the water during the winter months in perfect 

 condition. A few days since we dined* off both English pheasants 

 and grouse, brought out by one of our steamers; both were in 

 excellent order. The meat of the English pheasant is white and 

 the flavor very similar to that of our bird, — more juicy, perhaps ; but 

 we could not, or, it may be, would not have perceived any difference 

 in the flavor, had we not been previously informed that they 

 were English birds. They are larger than the American species. 

 The grouse were larger than our prairie-hen, the tetrao cupido, 

 and the meat dark and very juicy. 



MODES OF SHOOTING. 



Several plans are resorted to for obtaining a supply of pheasants 

 for the markets of Philadelphia and New York. Many are caught 

 in nets and nooses, others in traps, and numbers are shot down 

 by being decoyed into ambuscades by trails of grain laid on 

 the snow. These birds are extremely wary, except when pushed 

 by the cravings of hunger, when they become more bold and ven- 

 turesome. In districts where they are hunted after, it requires 

 great caution and perseverance on the part of a shooter to bag 

 them. When suddenly come upon, they often squat and lie 

 close till you have passed by, when they spring up and make off 

 at a tremendous speed. They generally take to the thickest 

 cripples, or perch themselves in the highest forest-trees, so buried 

 in the foliage that it is impossible to get sight of them, and there 

 remain perfectly motionless till all danger has passed. Shoot- 

 ing grouse, where they are not too scarce, is very lively sport, but 

 is usually attended with great toil, more especially in the vicinity 



* At the kind invitation of our friend, Andrew Staley, Esq. 



