legs ftrong, furriifhed with fpurs, which in old birds are very 

 fharp and nearly an inch long ; toes connected at the bafe by a 

 ftrong membrane. The female is about one third lefs than 

 the male; irides hazel; the fkirt on the fides of the head is 

 not fo bright, nor is it fo much extended as in the male ; tail 

 formed as in the other fex but fhorter. As the female differs 

 confiderably in colour, we malt give a figure of it in a future 

 number. 



The Pheafant, though not indigenous, juflly claims a place 

 among Britifh birds, being common in moft parts of this 

 kingdom; it is lefs abundant in the northern counties, and 

 is but rarely feen in Scotland; its favourite haunts are thick 

 woods in the vicinity of corn lands, where it bx*eeds ; it is a 

 folitary bird, feldom being found in companies except in the 

 breeding feafon ; the female lays from ten to fourteen eggs ? 

 in a loofe kind of neft, formed of a few dry leaves and vege- 

 tables fcraped together in the midu of a tuft of high grafs, in 

 the moft retired and unfrequented part of the wood ; where 

 in hidden fecurity fhe incubates alone, and does not admit the 

 approaches of the male till the young are excluded ; in this 

 fituation they are frequently deftroyed by foxes and martins ; as 

 foon as the young quit the fhell, they follow the hen,. who 

 leads them to ant-hills, near which they continue for two or 

 three weeks, after which they peck up moft kinds of fmall 

 infects, feeds, and grain ; in confinement the female will lay 

 a great number of eggs, but feldom hatches them or fits out 

 her time, as the male will often break in on her retirement 

 and deftroy the eggs ; to prevent which, the eggs are ufually 

 iaken away, and placed under a common hen ; when thus 

 itched, they require much attention and a continual fupply 



of 



