STRUCTURE, FOOD, AND HABITS. H 



shooting in the marshes on the Lincolnshire side of the- 

 Humber, near Grimsby, a man who works on the sea em- 

 bankment came to say that two pheasants had just flown over 

 from the Yorkshire side, alighting within a few feet of where 

 he was working among the rough grass on the bank. On 

 going to the spot indicated, I at once found and shot them ;, 

 they were both hens, and in very good condition. The 

 Humber at this place from shore to shore is nearly four miles 

 across. There was a strong northerly breeze blowing at the- 

 time, so that they would cross before the wind, or with the 

 wind a little aslant. I have occasionally found pheasants in 

 the marshes, and near the embankment, which I was sure 

 must have come across, but had no direct evidence of the- 

 fact.'' 



The comparatively small size of the wings necessitates- 

 their being moved with great force and velocity, and conse- 

 quently the moving powers or muscles of the breast are very 

 large and well developed, taking their origin from the deep 

 keel on tbe breast bone. The tail is long, and tapers to 

 a point ; it is composed of eighteen straight pointed feathers.. 



The pheasant, like most of its congeners, is a terrestrial 

 bird, seeking its food, making its nest, and rearing its young 

 upon the surface of the ground. Its legs, like those of all 

 true rasorial or scratching birds, are strong and muscular, 

 consequently it is capable of running with great speed. The 

 strong blunt claws are admirably adapted for scratching seeds 

 and tuberous roots from the ground, or worms and larvee 

 from beneath fallen leaves. 



Though seldom taking voluntarily to the water, the 

 pheasant is quite capable of swimming, as is proved by th& 

 following instances. A well-known game preserver writes :. 

 " When out walking to-day with my keeper, near the end of a 

 long pond running under one of my woods, we fancied that 

 we heard some young pheasants calling in the high grass.. 

 On going up to the place where we had heard the noise, an 

 old hen pheasant got up and flew over the pond, which is. 



