PLATE LVIII. 
The Pheafant 
Is efteemed one of the fineft Birds we have, and the Male here delineated, is from one of the 
moft beautiful of hs kind. The Pheafant inhabits woods, and feldom goes far from thence, being 
a heavy Bird, and not fond of flying. They feed upon grain of all forts in the fummer, but when 
winter approaches keep more at home, and are fatisfied with what falls from the bulhes, fuch as hips, 
haws, &c. even acorns have been found in their craws : they have fome affinity with our poultry; 
the male bird crows as our yard fowls do, and will breed with game or bantam hens, tho' by thus 
croffing the breed they of courfe lofe much of their beauty. When wild they lay fifteen or fixteen 
eggs, and generally bring as many young ones, who quit their neft as foon as they are hatched, and 
are conduBed by the old ones to fome bank where ants eggs are to be found, on which they chiefly 
feed whilft young, but as they grow ftronger they pick up corn, or whatever elfe they find about the 
bulhes, &c. &c. They may be confined in a room and will breed there, but have fewer eggs than 
when in a ftate of freedom ; nor can they be fo entirely tamed as to appear tranquil or contented, 
but continually go to and fro as if anxious for liberty. When they are wild in the field and perceive 
themfelves purfued, they will if poffible run under fome cover rather than fly, fuch is their apparent 
diflike to the wing. They run exceeding fall, and are confcious of their defeds in flying. 
If this bird had been reduced to the ufual fize of the plates in this work he would have appeared 
to too great a difadvantage, I have therefore enlarged the plate, for the purpofe of conveying a 
more perfea idea of his beauty and grandeur. 
No. XX. 
Gg 
