PHEASANT. GALLINA. PHASIANUS. 299 
Der gemeine Fasan, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 1160.—Meyer, Tasschb. 
v. 1. p. 291.—Frisch. Vog. t. 123. 
Common Pheasant, Albin. 1. t. 25, 26.—Will. (Angl.) p. 163. t. 28.—Lath. 
Syn. 4. p. 712. 4.Haye’s Br. Birds, t. 20.—Lewin’s Br. Birds, 3. t. 31. 
—Mont. Ornith. Dict. v. 2.—Jd. Supp.— Wale. Syn. 2. t. 178.—Pult. Cat. 
Dorset. p. 7.—Don, Br. Birds, v. 5. t. 101.—Bewick’s Br. Birds, v. 1. p. 
t. 282. Ring-necked var. 
Although the Pheasant has been for such a length of time 
a naturalised mhabitant of this country, the cause of its pre- 
servation must be referred, not so much to the wildness of its 
nature, as to the care and expence bestowed to that end by 
noblemen, and other considerable landed proprietors, without 
which the breed would, in all probability, have been long 
since extinct.—Independent of the beauty of its plumage as 
an object of idle acquisition, the high estimation it bears at 
the tables of the wealthy and luxurious proves too tempting 
an inducement for the poacher, whose facilities of capture are 
greatly increased by the peculiar habits of the species.— 
Thick underwood, abounding in brambles and long grass, is Haunt. 
the favourite resort of the pheasant, and here it lies concealed 
during the day, its times for feeding in the adjoming fields 
being at the dawning, and at sunset. In its progress to the 
feeding-grouud, it always runs, and, on this account, is very 
easily taken by wire-snares set in the narrow paths that it 
makes through the long grass, and which it constantly fre- 
quents. Its habit of roosting upon trees is, however, still 
more fatal to this bird, since, from being an object of consi- 
derable size, readily to be distinguished also by its long tail, 
and at the same time not easily frightened from its perch, it 
offers a sure mark during moonlight mghts to the gun of the 
poacher ; and it is chiefly from this mode of destruction that 
such incredible numbers are sent to the London market, in 
defiance to all the severe enactments of the Game Laws. 
The roosting-place of the male bird is very easy of observa- 
tion, for he almost invariably chuckles when first he trees, or 
goes to perch; and the female usually utters a faint chirp on 
the same occasion. During summer and the period of moult- 
mg, I have remarked that the pheasant rarely perches, but 
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