( 82 
letter, from which I have made the fol- 
lowing extract relating to the hiftory of 
this Ruffed Grous, orPheafant : 
C£ The Pheafant breeds in all parts of 
tc Maryland, fome countries on the eaftern 
“ fliore excepted. They lay their eggs in 
“ nefts they make in the leaves, either by 
c ‘ the fide of fallen trees, or the roots of 
tc ftanding ones. They lay from twelve 
“ to fixteen eggs : the time of incubation 
“ is in the fpring; but how long their 
“eggs are hatching I cannot fay: but, 
“probably, it is three weeks, the time that 
tc a dunghil-hen fits. — I have found their 
“ nefts when a boy, and have endeavoured 
“ to take the old Pheafant, but never could 
“ fucceed : fhe would let me almoft put 
“ my hand upon her before fhe would quit 
“her neft; then by artifice fhe would 
t£ draw me off from her eggs, by fluttering 
ct juft before me for a hundred paces or 
“ more; fo that I have been in conftant 
“ hopes of taking her. They leave their 
eC nefts as foon as they are hatched ; and, 
“ I believe, they live at firft on ants, fmall 
“ worms, &c. When they are a few days 
“ old, they hide themfelves fo artfully 
“ among the leaves, that it is difficult to 
“ find them: as they grow up, they feed 
“ on various berries, fruits, and grain of 
“ the country : grapes they like wife are 
££ fond of in the feafon ; but the Pheafant is 
t£ more particularly fond of the ivy-berry. 
££ I do not know any other animal that 
££ feeds on thefe berries : I know they are 
££ poifon to many. Though the Pheafant 
f£ hatches many young at a time, and often 
<£ fits twice a year, the great number and 
££ variety of hawks in Maryland feeding 
“ on them prevents their increafmg fall:. — 
C£ The beating of the Pheafant, as we term 
<£ it, is a noife chiefly made in the fpring 
C£ of the year by the cock-bird ; it may 
“ be diftindlly heard a mile in a calm day : 
) 
bonte de me repondre d'une manlere fatisfai- 
fante , par une lettre de laquelle fai fait 
P extrait fuivant y en ce qui regarde le Coq de 
Bruyere d fraife , ou le Faifan : 
“ Le Faifan multiplie dans toate la pro - 
£f vince de Maryland , except e quelques endroits 
tc de la cote orient ale, Ils depoj'ent leurs oeufs 
“ dans des nids y quils font de feuilles y ou a 
“ cote du tronc dun arbre couche par terre y 
“ ou pres des racines de ceux qui font debout . 
“ Ik pondent douze d feize oeufs : le prin- 
“ temps eft la faifon oil ils convent , mats 
“ jene fqaurois dire combien de temps les petits 
“ font a eclore , mats c eft probablement trois fe- 
<£ maines , qui eft le temps que convent nos 
a poules communes . fai de convert de leurs 
“ nids y etant petit garqon , et fai tdche de 
“ prendre la mere, mais je nai jamais pu y 
“ reiiffir j elk me laiftoit mettre la main pref- 
££ que fur elle y avant que de quitter fon nid y 
“ et puis die avoit Padrefe de ni eloigner defes 
££ oeufs y en volt ige ant doucement devant moi d 
“ line diftance de plus de cent pas , et me la - 
t£ ijfant toujours dans Pefperance de la faifir. 
££ Les petits abandonnent leur nid des quils 
“ font eclos, et je crois quils vivent Labor d de 
“ four mis , de petits vers y &c. Au bout de 
“ quelques jours , ils fe cachent ft finement 
“par mi les feuilles y qui l eft prefquimpoftible 
“ de les tr ouver, A mefure quils croiftent y 
“ ilsfe nourriffent de diverfes bayes , de petits 
“ fruits , et de grains du pays, Ils ameint 
“ aufti d fe nourrir de raifm dans la faijon ; 
“ mais le Faifan eft friand , fur toutes chofes , 
£C de bayes de Her re : je ne ft ache aucun autre 
“ animal y qui en mange , mais je ft ais quelle s 
“ font un poifon pour plufteurs. Pjuoique ce 
££ Faifan amene plufteurs petits d la jois y et 
tc quil couve fouvent deux fois Pannee y le 
££ grand nombre de faucons de diverfes fortes , 
<£ qui fe trouvent en Maryland , et qui les 
££ mangent , les empechent de multiplier promp- 
“ tement. Le battement du Faifan , comme 
t£ nous P dppellonSy ejl un bruit que le male fait y 
££ principalement au printemps j on pent 
