PHEASANTS AND PEACOCKS. 
99 
dry, but reserved for the sole use of the Pheasants, 
or at least, the larger sort of fowls, as the lid, cover- 
ing a trough containing the seed, opens and shuts 
by the weight of the Pheasant hopping on or off a 
perch connected with a crank. 
Pheasants have been considered, and with some 
reason, foolish birds, easily taken by every variety of 
snare; but, together with the Peacocks, they were, 
nevertheless, probably on account of their beauty, 
not only highly-esteemed in ancient times, but 
viewed with a sort of superstitious respect ; so much 
so, that, by the heathen Romans, those who first 
served them up at entertainments, were deemed 
guilty of a sort of impiety to their idol-gods ; and 
even when they were afterwards introduced as food, 
they were never used, even by the emperors, except 
on the most solemn occasions. In after-times, the 
Christians, who too often adopted the customs of 
their heathenish predecessors, paid an almost equal 
respect to these birds. Thus we find so serious a 
writer as St. Jerome, giving directions for boiling a 
Pheasant, so that the form of the bird might be 
completely preserved. From the table, Pheasants 
and Peacocks became most fashionable and honoured 
additions to the toilet; historians telling us, that the 
most splendid present one of the Popes sent to 
Pepin, one of the earliest kings of France, was a 
mantle, embroidered with the feathers of the latter; 
and the richest furniture in the apartments of the 
nobles in the middle ages, was painted or inlaid in 
such a manner as to represent a Peacock's tail, 
spread out and studded with eyes. 
At table, they were never introduced, except on 
