NON-DOMEFiTICTTY. 27 



nvider similar circumstances, Dick is easily clicckcd. ilc is 

 fond of stretchiujj^ liimsclf in tlu' sniil)e<uns ; and if tins be 

 n(jt attainable, l)efore tlii^ kitclicn tire. Uri bciuo- taken into 

 the house lie was presented t(j the view ni the cat, the latter 

 ut tlie same time lieiiitr aiven to uiidei-sta-nd that the bird was 

 privileged, and that she must not distucb liim. The cat is 

 evidently not fond of Dick as a,u inmate, but she abstains 

 from violence. f have seen hei-, it is true, give Inm a blow 

 with her paw, but this only oi-ciirs when the ])ird attempts to 

 take l)read, &c., from lier ; and not always then, as she 

 frequently suffers herself to be robbed by him. Dick has also 

 made friends with my [jointers. He slee])s in my bed- 

 room, but is by no means so early a i-iser as his fraternity in 

 a state of nature; however, when he C(jmes forth his antics 

 are amusing enough; he slinkes himself, pimps and flies 

 about the room for several minntes, and then descends into 

 the lireakfast-roora." Whether this bird would or would not 

 haA'e continued tame and domesticated during the following 

 breeding season was unfortunately never ascertained, as it 

 partook of the fate of most pets, and was killed accidentally 

 by the opening of a door. 



The incapacity of pheasants for domestication has been 

 remarked by all those who have tried in vain to rear them as 

 <lomestic birds. Charles Waterton, of Walton Hall, Yoi-k- 

 shire, who died in ISO.'), made the attempt under most advan- 

 tageous circumstances, and thus recounts the results of his 

 experiments : " Notwithstanding the ]n-o.\iniity of the pheasant 

 to the nature of the barndoor fowl, still it has that within it 

 which baffles every attemjit on our ])art to render its domesti- 

 cation complete. What I allude to is, a most singular innate 

 timidity, which never f.-iils to show itself on the sudden and 

 aljrupt appearance of an object. I sjjent some months m 

 trying to overcome this tiinor(_ius propensity in the pheasant, 

 but I failed completely in the attempt. The young birds, wliich 

 had been hatched under a, domestic hen, soon became very 

 tame, and would even receive food from the hand when it was 



