THE PHEASANT. 4G5 



between these "eyes" some leopard-like mottlings diversify the rich fawn of the ground 

 color, and outside them four wavy bands of dark brown run along the feather towards the 

 edge, breaking up into spots about an inch before they reach the edge. The inner web is pale 

 fawn covered with black spots, surrounded with buff, and the tij) of the whole feather is deep 

 brown, spotted profusely with white. The shaft is black at its base, and yellow towards its 

 termination. 



In another feather both webs are marked just like a leopard, with dark spots on a fawn 

 ground, only the spots are arranged in diagonal rows. But along the shaft runs a band, about 

 three-quarters of an inch wide, of rich chocolate, profusely speckled with the tiniest white 

 spots, also arranged in rows. This band does not quite extend to the end of the feather, 

 which at its tip is pale fawTi very sparingly studded with deep brown rosettes, surrounded 

 with chestnut. ' These are but two feathers, and I might take twenty as wonderful. In the 

 female the secondary feathers, instead of measuring nearly a yard in length, are little more 

 than a foot, and the eyes are much more obscure. The Argus Pheasant inhabits Sumatra and 

 neighboring localities. 



The well-known Pheasant affords a triumphant instance of the success with which a 

 bird of a strange country may be acclimatized to another with some little assistance from 

 its owner. 



Originally the Pheasant was an inhabitant of Asia Minor, and has been by degrees intro- 

 duced into many European countries, where its beauty of form and plumage and the delicacy 

 of its flesh made it a welcome visitor. In northern countiies, it is probably dependent to a 

 great extent on " preserves " for its existence, as, even putting aside the marauding attacks of 

 poachers, whether biped or quadi'uped, the bird requires much shelter and plenty of food. 

 Even with the precautions that are taken by the owners of preserves, the bi'eed is to some 

 degree artificially kept up by the hatching of Pheasant's eggs under domestic hens, and feed- 

 ing them in the coop like ordinary chickens, until they are old and strong enough to get their 

 own living. 



The food of this bird is extremely varied. When young it is generally fed on ants' eggs, 

 maggots, grits, and similar food, but when it is fully grov^'u it is possessed of an accommodating 

 appetite, and will eat many kinds of seeds, roots, and leaves. The tubers of the common 

 buttercup form a considerable item in its diet, and the bird will also eat beans, peas, acorns, 

 berries of various kinds, and has even been known to eat the ivy leaf as well as the berry. 



The Pheasant is a ground-loving bird, running ^^•ith great speed, and always preferring to 

 trust to its legs rather than its wings. It is a crafty creature, and when alanned, instead of 

 rising on the wing, it slips quietly out of sight behind a bush or through a hedge, and then 

 runs away with astonishing rapidity, always remaining under cover until it reaches some spot 

 where it deems itself to be safe. Tlie male Pheasant is not in the least given to the domestic 

 affections, passing a kind of independent existence during part of the year, and associating 

 with others of its own sex during the rest of the season. It is a very combative bird, and can 

 maintain a stout fight even with a barn-door cock. When the two fight, an event of no very 

 unfrequent occurrence, the Pheasant often gets the better of the combat by his irregular mode 

 of proceeding. After making two or three strokes, up goes the Pheasant into a tree to breathe 

 awhile, leaving the cock looking about for his antagonist. Presently, while his opponent is 

 still bewildered, down comes the Pheasant again, makes another stroke and retires to his 

 branch. The cock gets so puzzled at this mode of fighting that he often yields the point. 



It is rather curious that the Pheasant should display so great a tendency to mate with 

 birds of other species. Hybrids between the Pheasant and common hen are by no means 

 uncommon, and the peculiar form and color of the plumage, together with the wUd and sus- 

 picious mien, are handed down through several generations. The grouse is also apt to mate 

 with the Pheasant, and even the turkey and the guinea fowl are mentioned among the mem- 

 bers of these curious alliances. 



As these pages are not intended for sporting purposes, the art and mystery of Pheasant 

 shooting will be left unnoticed. The ingenious mode employed by Mr. Watei-ton for the 



Vol. n.— S9. 



