FOOD IN WILD STATE. 



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 

 (Bammculus hulbosus and JB. ficaria), which are often scratched out of the soil and 

 eaten. Macgilliyray 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 {Folypodium 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 its 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 {Rammculus ficaria) are always eaten in 

 large quantity, as are the tuberous roots of the common silver weed {Fotentilla 

 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 whoUv 

 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 larvae. 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 



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