100 PHEASANTS ADAPTED FOR THE COVERT. 



" Japan Expedition." " After the treaty of Yokuliama had been concluded, the United 

 States squadron proceeded to Simoda. A friendly intercourse with the natives was 

 established, and I constantly availed myself of Commodore Perry's kind permission 

 to make additions to our collections in natural history. One morning, at dawn of 

 day, I shouldered my gun and landed in search of specimens of birds, and that 

 day had the good fortune to see, for the first time, the Versicolor pheasant. The 

 province Idza, at the southern extremity of which the port of Simoda is situated, 

 forms a long neck of land extending, from the island of Niphon, in a southerly 

 direction, and is throughout mountainous, some of the mountains being from 4000 

 to 5000 feet high. The valleys are highly cultivated, presenting in the spring a 

 most luxurious landscape. The tops of the mountains and hills are in some places 

 composed of barren rocks, and in others covered with grass and shrubs, producing 

 an abundance of small berries. Between those higher regions and the fields below 

 the slopes are covered with woods, having, for the greater part, such thick under- 

 growth that it is scarcely possible to penetrate them. Eollowing the beautiful valley, 

 at the outlet of which the town of Simoda stands, for about four miles, I came to 

 a place where the Simoda creek divides into two branches. Selecting the eastern 

 branch, I soon left fields and houses behind me, and ascending through a little 

 gulley, I emerged from the woods into the barren region. It was yet early in the 

 morning ; clouds enveloped the peaks and tops of the hills ; the fields and woods were 

 silent, and the distant sound of the surf from the seashore far below rather increased 

 than lessened the impression of deep solitude made upon me by the strange scenery 

 around. 



"The walk and ascent had fatigued me somewhat; I had laid down my gun 

 and game-bag, and was just stopping to drink from a little spring that trickled from 

 a rock, when, not ten yards from me, a large pheasant arose, with loud rustling noise, 

 and before I had recovered my gun, he had disappeared over the brow of a hill. I 

 felt somewhat ashamed for allowing myself thus to be taken so completely aback; 

 but, noticing the direction in which he had gone, I proceeded more carefully in pursuit. 

 A small stretch of table-land, which I soon reached, was covered with short grass 

 and some little clusters of shrubs, with scattered fragments of rocks ; and as I heard 

 a note which I took to be the crowing of a cock pheasant, at a short distance, I 

 availed myself of the excellent cover, and crawling cautiously on my hands and 

 knees, I succeeded in approaching him within about fifteen yards. Having the 

 advantage of the wind and a foggy atmosphere, and being moreover concealed by 

 the rocks and shrubs, I could indulge in quietly observing him and his family. On 

 a small sandy patch was an adult cock and three hens busy in taking their breakfast, 

 which consisted of the berries already mentioned growing hereabouts in abundance. 

 Prom time to time the lord of this little family stopped in his repast and crowed 

 his shrill war-cry, which was answered by a rival on another hill at some distance. 



