2 PHEASANT. 



subject of its general distribution over Europe and Asia, we must now confine ourselves . 

 to its consideration as a naturalized inhabitant of Great Britain and Ireland. 



The natural habits of the Pheasant leading it, as they do, to frequent woods and 

 copses, where some of its food is procured, and shelter obtained, there is now scarcely 

 a district in these countries, where such shelter and moderate protection are afforded to ic, 

 where it is not to be found more or less abundantly. In Scotland, they are to be seen in 

 greater or less numbers as far north as Sutherlandshire; and in Ireland, although not so 

 generally distributed as in England, they are by no means uncommon, having dispersed 

 themselves widely in the neighbourhood of the preserves into which they had been introduced. 

 But, although the Pheasant is thus widely distributed, and increases so rapidly, there can 

 be little doubt that its present existence in this country, in a comparatively wild state, 

 is to be attributed to the care and attention bestowed by our noblemen and country 

 gentlemen upon its preservation, rather than upon the habits of the bird in avoiding or 

 eluding danger or destruction. So large a bird, and one in such general esteem, both 

 for the beauty of its plumage and its excellence as an addition to the luxuries of the 

 table, is, as may naturally be expected, eagerly sought after, both by those, who desire 

 it as an ornament to their collections, and also by those who supply the larders of the 

 wealthy and luxurious. 



Although the present custom of country gentlemen supplying the regular dealers with 

 ample quantities of game from their preserves, must greatly tend to diminish the profits 

 of the poacher, and also the number of poachers; still the high price which is paid by 

 the dealers leaves a wide margin from which the illegal sportsman may and does reap a very 

 abundant harvest. We once knew a veteran and most determined poacher, who made no 

 secret of his nefarious proceedings, and who, we believe, was never convicted of poaching, 

 and yet he lived entirely on the profits of this, his regular business, and never, that any 

 one knew, applied himself to anything else. He was well known, and consequently often 

 watched, and yet always contrived to baffle his watchers in one way or another. Some 

 time before the 12th. of August, die would start off to the moors, and, no doubt, did 

 not return before reaping a good harvest. He used to insinuate that much of his profits 

 on these occasions was derived from unsuccessful, would-be sportsmen, of whom there is 

 always a goodly number on some of our moors. After deriving all the profit he could from 

 the moors, he returned south for the Partridge and Pheasant season. 



We are convinced that this kind of system could not be carried on unless sanctioned 

 by the dealers in game, and the proof that it is so is given by the fact of both birds 

 and hares, purchased in the market, frequently showing evident signs of strangulation, and 

 not of having been killed in the usual and legitimate way. We by no means deny that 

 some of the profits of the habitual and professional poacher are derived from a class of 

 people who are willing to break, and sanction the breaking of, any law, if they can only 



