File:Stories about birds of land and water (1874) (14747712041).jpg

Identifier: storiesaboutbird00kirb (find matches)
Title: Stories about birds of land and water
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Kirby, Mary, 1817-1893 Kirby, Elizabeth, 1823-1873
Subjects: Birds -- Juvenile literature
Publisher: Hartford (Conn.) : American Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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both for the lovely colour of his plumes, andthe happy manner in which they are blended. There is an old story told about a famousking of Lydia, named Croesus, who was said tobe the richest monarch in the world. He was one day seated on his throne, fnhis royal robes, and in all his magnificence, andasked Solon, the Greek philosopher, if he had ever seen anything so fine. It was rather a foolish question. And Solon replied, that having seenthe beautiful plumage of the pheasant, he could not be surprised by anyother grandeur that might be displayed before him. STOIUES ABOUT BIRDS. Indeed, the attire of the pheasant is rich and rare. The eyes are sur-rounded with scarlet, sprinkled with tiny black dots. On the front of thehead there are dark coloured feathers, mixed with a shining purple, and thetop of the head and the upper parts of the neck arc tinged with a dark green
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THE BLACK PHEASANT. that shines like silk. Sometimes the top of the head is of a shining blue, andlooks blue or green according to the light in which it is seen. The feathers ofthe breast and shoulders, and the sides, have a tinge of exquisite purple, witha streak of gold. The tail is long, and, in the silver pheasant, is of a silverwhite. THE PHEASANT FAMILY. 183 The pheasant, thus grandly attired, is no less admired when served upat the table. His flesh is so delicate that its delicacy once became a proverb, andv hen a doctor in those days wished to recommend an article of diet, he usedto say it was as nice and as wholesome as the flesh of the pheasant.

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