i6 



British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



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pounds being not verj^ unfrequently recorded. It is remarkable tbat, although so 

 closel}^ allied to the domestic fowl, the Pheasant is incapable of true domestication, 

 the young birds, after being reared, always taking to the woods and trees as they 

 arrive at maturity. In our own countrj^ at the present time, the Pheasant ma}' 

 be generally regarded as a semi-domesticated bird, the eggs being usually collected 

 and hatched under hens, the j^oung being placed in the open under the care of 

 their foster parents, which are usuall}' confined in coops. Under these conditions 

 they are fed until they are able to take refuge and roost in the trees. 



The manner in which wounded and mal-formed Pheasants, as well as other 

 species, adapt themselves to new conditions of life, is verj' remarkable. The first 



engraving shows the head of a bird 

 which was forwarded to me in very fair 

 condition, weighing two pounds five ounces, 

 with thirt\^-three beech-nuts in its crop. 



f ---- '-.-^ . ^ j^' Both mandibles had been cut off iust in 



-■^^^ ^•-' "i' front of the nostrils, evidentty by a steel 



trap, the tongue, however, protruded from 

 the mouth, and although the bird had not 

 the power, apparentlj-, of taking up small 

 seeds, it Avas well nourished on the beech- 

 ' masts it obtaim;d. The second engraving 

 represents the head of a Pheasant in 

 which the upper mandible had been shot away, ncA-ertheless, the bird Avhen killed 

 was in very good condition, being able to feed itself apparentlv, Avithout much 

 difiiculty. Wheu the birds are being shot 

 at in the coverts and alarmed, the}' fl}' Avith 

 such rapidit}', that if the head conies in 

 contact AA'ith a small branch, the upper 

 mandible is not unfrequenth' bent doAvn and 

 forced through the lovrer iaAv. In these 

 cases it is utterl}- impossible that the bird 

 can feed, as the mouth cannot be opened, 

 and the bird, if discovered, is usuall}' found 

 to have been starved to death. Like most ^^*^- -■ 



birds that are bred under artificial conditions, variations of plumage occur. Pied 

 Pheasants are not uncommon in some coverts, and pure AA'hite examples occasion- 

 ally make their appearance. Another A'ariation that occasionally occurs is the 

 production of the plumage of a buff colour, instead of the dark rich ground w-hich 





FIG. I. 



