PLA TE €. 
Pheafant. Rai Syn. p. 56. A. 1. 
Will. orn. p. 163. pl. 28. 
Alin tl. Wr a5. 26. 
Le Pailan. Brif. Orn. 1. .p! 262.7. 
biiffe Oife 2B. 228. plo Al 
Pi nl tO wie 2% 
That mind which is inclined to admire the wonders and beauties 
of creation, will paufe to examine with more than ordinary attention, 
a bird, in which nature has difplayed an elegance and variety of co- 
lours, fufficient to arreft the admiration of ancient philofophers ; 
and furnifh them with the happieft fimile to abafh human often- 
tation *, 
Perhaps, there are few tribes of birds in which nature has been 
more profufe of her ampleft colouring than that of the Pheafant. 
The common fpecies as we now confider it in this country, notwith- 
ftanding its beauty, is inferior in that refpect to two others that are 
alfo found at large in fome of our woods. ‘Ihe Ring and painted 
Pheafants are far more richly decorated, and thefe may probably be 
as abundant in future generations as the Common Pheafant is at 
prefent. The variegated Pheafant is beautiful, and the {carcely ex- 
ampled delicacy of the White kind renders it an interefting variety. 
# « When Creefus, king of Lydia, was feated on his throne, adorned with royal 
«< magnificence, and all the barbarous pomp of eaitern fplendour, he afked Solon if 
«© he had ever beheld any thing fo fine! The Greek Philofopher, no way moved by 
*¢ the objeéts before him, or taking a pride in his native fimplicity, replied, that after 
« having feen the beautiful plumage of the Pheafant, he could be aftonifhed at no 
* other finery.” Burron. 
The 
