. The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguishing peculiarities by means of delightful anecdotes and spirited engravings . rableflights. On this account, the Pheasants on the island called IsolaMadre in the Lat to cross, thev are almostalways drowned. Tlic Pheasant is a stupid bird. On being rousedit will often perch on a neighbouring tree, where its attention will be 254 THE COMMON PEEASANT. 80 fixed on tlie
. The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguishing peculiarities by means of delightful anecdotes and spirited engravings . rableflights. On this account, the Pheasants on the island called IsolaMadre in the Lat to cross, thev are almostalways drowned. Tlic Pheasant is a stupid bird. On being rousedit will often perch on a neighbouring tree, where its attention will be 254 THE COMMON PEEASANT. 80 fixed on tlie clogs, that the sportsman can without difBculty approach within gun-shot. It has been asserted that the Pheasant imagines itself out of danger whenever its head only is concealed. Sports-men, however, who recount the stratagems that they have known oldCock Plieasants to adopt, in thick and extensive coverts, before theycould be compelled to take wing, convince us this bird is by ndmeans deficient in the contrivances that are necessary for its ownpreservation. At the commencement of cold weather, Pheasants fly after sun setiuto the b^auches of the oak-trees, and there roost during iLe i ighfc \ \^^ \ ^. COMMON PHEASANTS. This they do more frequently as the winter advances, and the treeilose their foliage. Tlie male birds, at these times, make a noise,which they repeat three or four times successively, called by sports-men cocktting. The hens, on flying up, utter one shrill whistle, andVhen are silent. Poachers avail themsL-lves of these notes, to discoverthe roosting places; and there (in woods that are not well watched)they shoot them with the greatest certainty. Where woods arewatched, the poacher, by means of phospliorus, lights several brimstonematches; and he moment the sulphurous fumes reach the birds,they drop to the ground. Or, he fastens a snare of wire to the endof a long pole ; aad by meansof this, dra<2;s them, one by one, fromthe trees. He sometimes catche
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectzoology
