« FOOD IN WILD STATE. 3 
the year. Amongst forest plants, it likes the seeds of the hemp-nettle (Galeopsis), 
and it also feeds on almost all the seeds that the farmer sows.” 
To this long catalogue of its continental fare may be added the roots of the 
common silver weed (Potentilla anserina), and the tubers of the common buttercups 
(Ranunculus bulbosus and R. ficaria), which are often scratched out of the soil and 
eaten. Macgillivray states that “One of the most remarkable facts relative to this 
bird that has come under my observation, was the presence of a very large quantity 
of the fronds of the common polypody (Polypodiwm vulgare) in the crop of one 
which I opened in the winter of 1835. I am not aware that any species of fern 
has ever been found constituting part of the food of a ruminating quadruped or 
gallinaceous bird; and if it should be found by experiment that the pheasant thrives 
on such substances, advantage might be taken of the circumstance.” 
Thompson, in his ‘‘ Natural History of Ireland,’ recounts the different varieties 
of food he observed in opening the crops of ten pheasants—from November to April 
inclusive. In seven he discovered the fruit of the hawthorn, with grain, small 
seeds, and peas. In one no less than thirty-seven acorns. Another had it& crop 
nearly filled with grass ; only one contained any insects, the period of examination 
being the colder months of the year; in summer the pheasant is decidedly insecti- 
vorous; all contained numerous fragments of stone. He also records that in the 
spring the yellow flowers of the pilewort (Ranunculus ficaria) are always eaten in 
large quantity, as are the tuberous roots of the common silver weed ( Potentilla 
anserina), when they are turned up by cultivation. Mr. Thompson adds :— 
“While spending the month of January, 1849, at the sporting quarters of Ardimersy 
Cottage, Island of Islay, where pheasants are abundant, and attain a very large size 
—the ring-necked variety, too, being common—I observed that these birds, in the 
outer or wilder coverts, feed, during mild as well as severe weather, almost wholly 
on hazel nuts. In the first bird that was remarked to contain them, they were 
reckoned, and found to be twenty-four in number, all of full size and perfect ; in 
addition were many large insect larvee. Either oats or Indian corn being thrown 
out every morning before the windows of the cottage for pheasants, I had an oppor- 
tunity of observing their great preference of the former to the latter. After several 
grains of the Indian corn were picked up hastily, they seemed to stick in the bird’s” 
throat, and were with much difficulty swallowed; the neck was moved in various 
directions to accomplish this object, and the eyes were often closed in the effort; but 
immediately afterwards the birds recommenced eating at the grain which had given 
them such trouble. Yet this grain is small, compared with full-sized hazel nuts. I 
remarked a pheasant one day in Islay taking the sparrow’s place, by picking at 
horsedung on the road for undigested oats.” 
Among the more singular articles of food that form part of the pheasant’s 
very varied dietary may be mentioned the spangles of the oak so common in the 
; BQ 
