NATURAL HISTORY. 
117 
fopher replied, that, after having feen a 
pheafant, no other finery could aftonilh him. 
Although the pheafant is, certainly, a moft 
beautiful and elegant bird, yet there are ma- 
ny others, as well as the peacock, which can 
vie with it in plumage. Its chief beauties 
are in the eyes, which are yellow, fur- 
rounded with fcarlet, and fpotted with black ; 
black feathers, intenningled with a glolfy 
purple, adorn the fore part of the head ; 
while the top of the head, and the upper 
part of the neck, are tinged with a darkifli, 
fliining gi'een r the back, fides, brealf, and 
flioulders, are of a black colour, changing 
to purple, according to the fituation of the 
fpeftator, under which purple is a tranfverfe 
ftreak of a gold colour. 
The tail is about eighteen inches long; 
the legs, feet, and toes, are of a horn co- 
lour; and two of the toes are connefted by a 
membrane.. 
This bird is not only beautiful to the eye, 
but extremely delicate to the tafte. But, as 
if it difdained the commerce of man, it has 
left him to take flielter in the woods and fo- 
refts; to which unlimited freedom may be 
ittributed the exquilite flavour of its fleih. 
