THE PHEASANT. 
45 
The pea-hen seldom lays above five or six eggs in this 
climate before she sits. Aristotle describes her as laying 
twelve; and it is probable, in her native climate, she may be 
thus prolific : for it is certain, that in the forests where they 
breed naturally, they are numerous beyond expression. The 
bird lives about twenty years; and not till its third year 
has it that beautiful variegated plumage that adorns its tail. 
The Pheasant. The name of this bird sufficiently in- 
dicates its origin. The pheasant is the bird of P basis, a river 
?f Colchis, in Asia Minor, whence they were first introduced 
into Europe. 
Next to the peacock they are the most beautiful of birds, as 
well for the vivid colour of their plumes, as for their happy 
mixtures and varieties. It is far beyond the power of the 
pencil to draw any thing so glossy, so bright, or points so 
finely blending into each other. We are told that when Crcesus, 
king of Lydia, was seated on his throne, adorned with royal 
magnificence, and all the barbarous pomp of eastern splen- 
dour, he asked Solon if he had ever beheld any thing so fine ! 
tne Greek philosopher, no way moved by the objects before 
him, or taking a pride in his native simplicity, replied, that 
after having seen the beautiful plumage of the pheasant, he 
could be astonished at no other finery. 
In fact, nothing can satisfy the eye with a greater variety 
nnd richness of ornament than this beautiful creature. The 
lris ot the eyes is yellow ; and the eyes themselves are sur- 
rounded with a scarlet colour, sprinkled with small specks of 
black. On the fore-part of the head there are blackish fea- 
thers mixed with a shining purple. The top of the head and 
the upper part of the neck are tinged with a darkish green 
that shines like silk. In some, the top of the head is of a 
shining blue, and the head itself, as well as the upper part of 
the neck, appears sometimes blue and sometimes green, as 
“t is differently placed to the eye of the spectator. The fea- 
thers of the breast, the shoulders, the middle of the back, 
a nd the sides under the wings, have a blackish ground, with 
edges tinged of an exquisite colour, which appears some- 
'mes black, and sometimes purple, according to the differ- 
ent lights it is placed in ; under the purple there is a trans- 
verse streak of cold colour. The tail, from the middle fea- 
rers to the root, is about eighteen inches long; the legs, 
i j e beet, and the toes, are of the colour of horn. There are 
.mack spurs on the legs, shorter than those of a cock; there 
a membrane that connects two of the toes together; and 
e mE de is much more beautiful than the female. 
