370 BRITISH BIRDS. 



tinot in England and Wales, and also in Scotland, towards the 

 end of last century. It has been reintroduced in Scotland, 

 and has spread from the pine to oak and other woods, being 

 especially abundant in Perthshire. 



The Pheasant (P. colchicus) is a native of Asia, probably 

 having been imported by the Greeks into Europe from the 

 banks of the Colchian Phasis, the modern Eion, which enters 

 the Black Sea : certain authorities say it was introduced from 

 some of the Asiatic islands. It is also abundant in the Caucasus, 

 the Sea of Aral, and the Caspian Sea, and is said to occur in 

 its wild state in C'entral Europe. From what we can gather, 

 it was well known to the Athenians soon after 1200 B.C. From 

 Greece it was transported to Eome. It was not until after the 

 Crusades that it became familiar in England. But there is 

 evidence that the pheasant was naturalised in the south of 

 England before the Norman invasion. At the end of the last 

 century the Chinese Einged-neck Pheasant (P. torquatus) was 

 introduced : this has bred with the original species to such an 

 extent that we seldom get a pure-bred P. colchicus now, there 

 being nearly always a trace of the white ring. The crow of the 

 male may be heard in March when they are fighting for the 

 hens. From 10 to 15 eggs are laid, generally in a slight nest on 

 the ground. When flying their pace is rapid for a gallinaceous 

 bird ; but they seldom cover great distances. Hybrids with 

 other Gallinas are not unusual ; the author had an Indian game 

 hen that mated with a cock pheasant and nested in an adjoin- 

 ing wood. The average weight of a cock is from 3 to 3| lb. and 

 a hen from 2 to 2J lb. The pheasant as a game bird is most 

 valuable, but to the farmer it is very destructive at times. 

 Nevertheless, it does much good at others. ' The young feed 

 on insects and small grain, but especially upon ants and ant- 

 cocoons ; but when adult they devour quantities of grain, peas, 

 beans, turnip, red clover, and young wheat. They love, above 

 all, buckwheat. Enormous numbers of wireworm and other 

 insects are destroyed by the pheasant. 



