t 191 ] 



from twelve to fixteen eggs. The time of in- 

 cubation is in the Spring -, but how long their 

 €ggs are hatching I cannot fay -, but, probably, 

 k is three weeks, the time that a dung-hill hen 

 fits. I have found their nefts, when a boy, and 

 and have endeavoured to take the old Pheafant, 

 but never could fucceed -, fne v/ould let me al- 

 mofl put my hand upon her before Ihe would 

 quit her neil ; then by artifice ihe would draw 

 me off from her eggs by fluttering juft before 

 me for a hundred paces or more ^ fo that Î have 

 been in confiant hopes of taking her. They 

 leave their nefts as foon as hatched, and I believe 

 they live at firft on ants, fmail worms, &e. 

 When they are a few days old, they hide them- 

 felves fo artfully among the leaves, that it is dif- 

 licult to find them : as they grow up they feed 

 on various berries, fruits and grain of the coun- 

 try J grapes they likewife are fond of m the iea- 

 fon ; but the Pheafant is more particularly f^nd 

 of the ivy berry. I do not know any other aniai il 

 that feeds on thefe berries: I know th- v are 

 poifon to many. Though the Pheafant ' a^^^cs 

 many young ones at a time, and ofcen lus rv... e 

 ^ year, the great number and variety of hawks 



