254 RUFFED GROUSE. 



The pheasant begins to pair in April, and builds its nest 

 early in May. This is placed on the ground, at the root of a 

 bush, old log, or other sheltered and solitary situation, well 

 surrounded with withered leaves. Unlike that of the quail, 

 it is open above, and is usually composed of dry leaves and 

 grass. The eggs are from nine to fifteen in number, of a 

 brownish white, without any spots, and nearly as large as those 

 of a pullet. The young leave the nest as soon as hatched, and 

 are directed by the cluck of the mother, very much in the 

 manner of the common hen. On being surprised, she exhibits 

 all the distress and affectionate manoeuvres of the quail, and 

 of most other birds, to lead you away from the spot. I once 

 started a hen pheasant with a single young one, seemingly 

 only a few days old : there might have been more, but I 

 observed only this one. The mother fluttered before me for 

 a moment ; but, suddenly darting towards the young one, 

 seized it in her bill, and flew off along the surface through 

 the woods, with great steadiness and rapidity, till she was 

 beyond my sight, leaving me in great surprise at the incident. 

 I made a very close and active search around the spot for the 

 rest, but without success. Here was a striking instance of 

 something more than what is termed blind instinct, in this 

 remarkable deviation from her usual manoeuvres when she 

 has a numerous brood. It would have been impossible for 

 me to have injured this affectionate mother, who had exhibited 

 such an example of presence of mind, reason, and sound judg- 

 ment, as must have convinced the most bigoted advocates of 

 mere instinct. To carry off a whole brood in this manner at 

 once would have been impossible, and to attempt to save one 

 at the expense of the rest would be unnatural. She therefore 

 usually takes the only possible mode of saving them in that 

 case, by decoying the person in pursuit of herself, by such a 

 natural imitation of lameness as to impose on most people. 

 But here, in the case of a single solitary young one, she in- 

 stantly altered her plan, and adopted the most simple and 

 effectual means for its preservation. 



