PHEASANT. 
367 
It was continually dipping its bill into the water, as if feeding on some 
insects ; and so intent on its occupation as to suffer us to approach 
within a few yards. It never attempted to dive, and, when disturbed, 
flew only a small distance, very like the dunlins. Temminck informs 
us that it inhabits the north and east of Europe, being found in great 
abundance in Siberia, upon the banks of the lakes and rivers of these 
regions ; and also on the borders of the Caspian Sea. Is numerous in 
America and in the arctic regions. Captain Sabine says he found them 
in the summer in the North Georgian Islands, and that he saw a flock 
of them, in June, swimming among the Icebergs, four miles from the 
west coast of Greenland, in latitude 68°.* 
PEIALAROPUS (Brisson.) — *A genus thus characterised. Bill 
long, slender, feeble, straight, depressed at the base, the two mandibles 
furrowed to the point ; the extremity of the upper curved over the 
under mandible ; the point of the under mandible awled ; nostrils at 
the sides of the base, oval, prominent, surrounded by a membrane ; legs 
middle-sized, slender, shanks compressed ; three toes before, and one 
behind ; the fore toes united as far as the first joint, the rest fringed 
with membranes festooned and denticulated upon the edges ; hind toe 
without a membrane, articulated on the inner side ; wings of middle 
size, the first and second quills the longest.* 
PHASIANUS (LiNNiEus.) — *A genus thus characterised. Bill of 
mean length, strong; upper mandible convex, naked at the base, and with 
the tip bent downwards. Nostrils at the side of the base covered with 
a gristly scale ; cheeks and region of the eyes destitute of feathers, and 
covered with a warty red skin ; wings short, the first quills equally 
narrowed towards their tips, the fourth and fifth the longest ; tail 
long, remarkably wedge-shaped, and composed of eighteen feathers ; 
feet having the three fore toes united by a membrane as far as the first 
joint, and the hind toe articulated upon the shank, which, in the male 
birds, is furnished with a horny, cone-shaped, sharp spur.* 
PHEASANT (^hasianus colchicus, LiNNiEus.) 
*Phasianus colchicus, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 270. 3. — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 741. — Briss. 1. p. 
262.1. — Raii, S}/!!. p. 56. A. 1 Will. p. 117. t. 28. — Le Faisan vulgaire, 
Bujf. Ois. 2. p. 328. — Ib. pi. Enl. 121. and 122. — Temm. Pig. et Gall. 2. p. 
289. — lb. Man. d’Orn. 2. p. 453. — Der gemeine Fasan, Bechst. Tasschenb. 
Deut. 3. p. 1160. — Frisch, Vdg. p. 123. — Common Pheasant, Will. p. 163. t. 
28. — Albin, T p. 25. 26. — Mont. Orn. Diet. & Supp. — Bewick’s Br. Birds, 1. 
p. 282. — Lath. Syn. 4. p. 712. 4. — Lowin’ s Br. Birds, 3. t. 31. — Wale. Syn. 2. 
t. 178. — Don. Br. Birds, 5. t. 101. — Piilt. Cat. Dorset, p. 7. — F/em. Br. Anim. 
p. 46 — Selby, pi. 57. p. 298.* 
Weight of a full-grown bird near three pounds ; length three feet ; 
bill pale yellowish horn-colour ; irides yellow ; sides of the head bare, 
granulated, crimson, minutely speckled with black. This part is con- 
siderably brighter and much dilated in the courting season ; at which 
