11S4 lUrds. 



this rnvc species must bave aligliteJ during- lliciv migration, and tlie pages of (lie 

 'Zo(dogisl,' 10 which its editor solicits such notices, will, it is hoped, record that some 

 of them have been seen or shot, — most likely in turnip fields, their favourite place of 

 resort while they visit Britain in the winter season. — G. Gordon ; Birnie by Elgin, 

 February 27, 1861. 



Pheasant Shooting in Japan. — Nearly opposite Niegata, in NiphoD,one of the new 

 ports of jH])an very shortly to be opened to Eumpeans, there is a very beautiful island, 

 with a rocky iron-bound coast certainly, but the interior of which abounds in green 

 trees and wooded hills, which are separated by deep gullies, which in their turn 

 gradually expand into rich alluvial pluins, watered by rivulets and parcelled off into 

 productive padi-fields. The name of this little island is Sado, and here it was that we 

 formed one of a party which was bent on the shooting of pheasants. At first our way is 

 by ihe sea-shore, over great level plains of rock, which seems as if it had once boiled and 

 to have been covered with bubbles of stone, which, having burst, have left circular hollows 

 with raised edges. Here we find plenty of Chitons, a cuttle or so, whelks in abundance, 

 a few queer crabs, but as yet no pheasants. Anou we wander by the weed-grown 

 margin of a rapid shallow stream, which sparkles and eddies and goes on its way 

 rejoicing, forming in its course numerous little waterfalls. By its side runs and flirts 

 up and down the tricksy water ouzel, often making a dash into the small shallow rapids. 

 Here also are the mild slender wagtails, yellow, pied and gray. Very impudent rooks 

 perch on every tree, and the noisy jays are flirting violently among the branches of the 

 oaks. But we see no pheasants. We follow the upward course of the mountain- 

 stream, and are gradually shut in by the sides of a very charming valley. Bright 

 yellow Persimmons hang like the golden fruit of the Hesperides on leafless trees; dark 

 spreading yews harbour within their cool shade snug little cottages, and on every side, 

 to the eye's delight, are tapering soft elegant Cryptoraerias, mingled with broad-leaved 

 sycamores and the magnificent foliage of oaks and chesnuts. Desirous of procuring 

 some acorns we stoop to gather some under the trees, and our occupation being observed 

 a good-nalured Japanese runs into his house and brings oirt handfuls of a nut very 

 similar in appearance to an acorn, but which we recognise as the kernel of a species 

 of Taxus growing around. These we are requested to eat, and amid much merriment 

 at our expense, in making so absurd a mistake, our acorns are treated with pantomimic 

 abhorrence and disgust. The Taxus fruit had been boiled in salt and water, and were 

 pretty tolerable, though rather rough to the palate. But the pheasants? Well, leaving 

 me to " moon " about as usual, my impulsive messmate Lieutenant Warren, a sports- 

 man successful as well as enthusiastic, strikes across the country, and very soon sees 

 ten or eleven iiheasants feeding together in the open spaces of the scrub. They are 

 by no means shy, never having .'cen sportsmen before, and ure first recognised by the 

 peculiar short crow common to the pheasant family. Their favourite haunt seems to 

 be in the shrubs and high grass on the rising land between the cultivated fields. These 

 pheasants are the rare and lovely Phasianus versicolor or Diard's pheasant, found only 

 in Japan. "It would be diflicult," exclaims my friend, elated as was natural, to "describe 

 my sensations when first startled by the metallic splendour of the plumage of this king 

 of pheasants. But," continued he, " if the sportsman wishes to ' make a bag ' he must 

 be prepared for a very hard day's work, for the ground is very hilly and irregular." 

 Three brace and a half fell this day to the excellent shooting of Lieutenant Warren. 

 At a dinner given on board, Diard's pheasant formed a conspicuous feature, and the 

 flesh was pronounced quite equal to that of the English pheasant. — Arthur Adams. 



