19 
THE PHEASANT.* 
Phasmuis Colchicus, Linn. 
Is common in various wooded parts of the island,, where it has 
been preserved and protected. 
This species being neither an indigenous one, nor a visitant to Ireland 
in a wild state, but having certainly been introduced, is therefore dis- 
entitled to receive the honours of ordinary type. The period of its 
introduction is unknown to me; but in the year 1589 it was remarked 
to be common.f Fynes Moryson, who was in Ireland from 1599 till 
1603, observes that there are ‘'such plenty of pheasants, as I have 
known sixty served up at one feast, and abound much more with rails, 
but partridges are somewhat scarce.” vol. ii. p. 368. Smith seems to 
have imagined that pheasants were indigenous to the island, as in his 
History of Cork, it is remarked — “They are now [1719] indeed very 
rare, most of our woods being cut down.” 
In the counties of Antrim and Down, the ring-necked variety — 
considered to have originally proceeded from a cross-breed between the 
common and true ring-necked pheasant {PJiasimms torquatus, Temm.) 
— is not uncommon. Individuals much pied with white are also not 
unfrequently met with. In the middle of February 1845, an extremely 
beautiful pied pheasant, with much white in its plumage, bred in the 
woods at Glenarm Park, was found at the edge of a plantation 
there in a weak state, by Edmund Me Donnell, Esq. Soon after 
being taken to the house it died, in consequence (as proved by dissec- 
tion) of having partaken of poisoned food, of which some had been 
laid for rats. This bird was in the highest condition as to flesh 
and plumage ; it was kindly presented to the Belfast Museum by the 
gentleman just named. By the same considerate donor, a more 
remarkable pheasant was presented in Jan. 1849 ; it being not only 
pied with white, but a female which had partially assumed the plumage 
of the male. The tail was the most interesting portion ; it having 
attained the full length of that of the male, while the markings on the 
two longest feathers, and the three next to them on one side (all that 
* So named from a belief that it was brought from the banks of the Phasis, a 
river of ancient Colchis. 
t See note given under Q-uail. 
c 2 
