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PHASIANID.E. 



of being all but domesticated, that, if fair play were 

 given to them, and keepers were not constantly kept for 

 the sole and sordid purpose of driving all straggling birds 

 into cover, after having been kept by the industrious far- 

 mer until a few days before the shooting season commences, 

 there would be more birds than necessary for every one, 

 and the market might be supplied with them, without 

 the daily strifes of poachers and keepers. We have been 

 told that the greatest plunderers of game preserves are, 

 in many cases, the keepers ; and during our pursuits in 

 studying British Birds in a natural state, we have obtained 

 so much information respecting the nature and tricks of 

 keepers, that it will only require leisure to write a volume 

 on the subject, for the benefit of their employers. Many 

 a new species of the smaller birds (summer visitants) will 

 be added to the list of British Birds, as soon as some 

 few gentlemen will permit ornithologists to go unmolested 

 about their private preserves, and allow them to kill now 

 and then a specimen ; but while at every turn the naturalist 

 meets with a keeper to warn him off, he will be expeeted 

 to write about what he has not seen. Information is looked 

 for in former works, and many are the blunders that are per- 

 petuated without an end . 



The Pheasant lives on the ground, among long grass, 

 fern, underwood, and corn ; it runs among them and hides 

 itself very cleverly, in which thorn bushes and thistles aid 

 it greatly. At night the Pheasant roosts in trees about ten 

 to twenty feet from the ground : in some few instances a 

 bird may be found on the ground, when strayed far from 

 home, or in very windy weather. The flight of the Phea- 

 sant is heavy, but, owing to its strong wings, quick and 

 accompanied by a considerable noise, particularly on its tak- 

 ing wing. When the Pheasant lowers itself, in flying from 

 a tree to the ground, it steadies its wings and sails in the 



