[ 5 01 ] 
In order to be farther informed of this bird, I 
wrote to Mr. Brooke, furgeon of Maryland, who 
was lately in London, to aflift me with what he 
knew of the nature of it • who obliged me with a 
letter, wherein he fays, that the print I fent him 
(which was the fame with this here prefent) repre- 
sented their pheafant juft as it appears when furprifed, 
and going to take wing. 4 They breed in all parts of 
‘ Maryland, except near the eaftern Shores. They 
' lay their eggs in nefts made of dry leaves by the 
■ fide of a fallen tree, or at the root of a Standing 
* one: They lay from 12 to 16 eggs, and hatch in 
‘ the Spring; but how long they fit, I cannot tell. I 
4 have found their nefta, when I was a boy, and have 
‘ endeavoured to take the old one, but never could : 
4 She would let me put my hand almoft on her be- 
1 fore flae quitted her neft ; then She would flutter 
4 juft before me for 100 yards, or more, to draw me 
4 off from her neft, which could not afterwards be 
* eaSiiy found. The young ones leave the neft as Soon 
‘ as hatched, and, I believe, live at firft on ants and 
* worms : When they are a few days old, they hide 
i themfelves amongft: the leaves, that it is hard to find 
4 them. When they are grown up, they feed on the 
‘ berries, fruits, and grain, of the country. Tho’ 
4 the pheafant hatches many young at a fitting, and 
‘ often fits twice a year, the great number and va- 
4 riety of hawks amongft us, feeding on them, pre- 
4 vents their increafing faft. The beating of the 
4 pheafant, as we term it, is a noife chiefly made in 
4 the fpring by the cock birds. It may be diftindtly 
4 heard a mile in calm weather. They fweil their 
4 breafts like a pouting pigeon, and beat with their 
4 wings* 
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