The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-07 00:00:00

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

PHEASANT SHOOTING.—No. 8.

The pheasant is a beautiful bird, there is no gainsay-
ing that. The geniis owns, in particular, two porting
varieties naturalised amongst us, and some others which
are kept in a state of confinement in our menageries.
We, as sportsmen, have nothing to do with the latter;
the former only are attached to our specalations and
interests. It most, however, be remenwered that there
are two distinct sporting variet'es of this pheasant.
One, rather larger than the other, is the Phasianat
Cotchicas, of Lillll9OU3, which is not collared like the
small, or ringmecked pheasant, (Phasionus Torgttabss,)
of Temminck. Both inter-breed,which might lead to a
supposition that accident more than design had ores-
sinned this variation between them, were it not that
the differouce observed in their relitive sizes still re-
mains with the progeny of each. In a sporting point of
view the pheasant is very important to the heroes of the
trigger. The naturalist also admires it for its great
beauty—( what can he more gorgeous than a f ull-plui nage I
cock bird at Christruas-tiine?j—and is particularly in-
terested by a consideration of ita extensive geographical
distribution, nor can look with but some surprise at
the ease with which it becomes naturalised in a country
opposed in so many particulars, as Is our portion of the
globe, to its early birthplace. The emniuon pheasant
Is described by Bewick as being two feet eleven inches
in length ; and its plumage, the deep purple of head
and neck, varying to 'glossy green and blue, with the
reddish chesnut of the breast with black indented edges,
which in different lights vary to a glossy purple, and
present as ensemble scarcely to be equalled in beauty
and richness in &sportsman's eye by any member of the
feathered host. It is generally admitted that the plies-
cant was originally introduced into Europe from the
banks of the Phasis (now the Rioni) a river in Calchis,
In Asia Minor. The Greeks,in their ascent of the stream,
were attracted by their beauty, and the bird being
easily domesticated, a valuable addition to the luxury
of themselves and the Romans was soon secured, and
rapidly extended itself over the southern countries of
Europe. They appeared at the expensive and super-
abundant repasts of the ancients, and for a time bore
the palm of novelty ; and Heligobalus (to whom Harry
the VIII., in the wedding and banging line was the
veriest fleabite) in his ostentation, is said to have fed
the lions of his menagerie with them. The period of its
introduction into Britain is not certainly known. "The
price they bore," says Daniel, "according to Echard's
History of England, A.D. 1299 (being 27 Edward I.)was
4d." It should, however, be remembered that at this
time the value of a mallard VMS lid., a plover ld., a
couple of woodcocks, lid. " Plentifuller in theni
days, than this 'an," we hear our John, the woodman,
say. Then wheat was sold for Is. 84., and at some
places for le. 44. per quartet, or 4s. of our money. A
fat lamb from Christmas to Shrovetide Is. 4d., and all
the year after for 44. No wonder farmers grumble now;
how they five at present prices is a mystery! We should
like to see their faces at Dorchester market next Satur-
day if the above tariff was to be strictly observed. A
fat lamb for 44.,Fariner Field; a quarter of wheat, best
sample, 48., and look pleasant! We cannot pass over
a gastronomic hint wo have had given us relative to
the pheasant. It must be borne in mind that the
pheasant is decidedly as wholesome food as any article
of diet that we eat. When the ancient physicians
spoke of the wholesomeness of any viands they made
their comparison with the pheasant. The hens are ,
certainly more juicy, and every way preferable; still
the true sportsman feels a twinge whenever he sees a
hen pheasant destroyed. They are best roasted, and
the most eligible mode of dressing an old cock is (after
being kept a proper time) to stuff him with the lean of
• sirloin of beef, cut into pieces the size of dice, and
well seasoned ; the gravy issuing from the blef gradu-
ally diffuses itself through the flesh, and renders it less
dry and hard than when destitute of this supply. If
in return for this hint or for others to come, should any
of our sporting readers be overburdened with a cock or
two—not a " cockatoo" —we merely say they are aw-
fully scarce in these parts. As pheasant-shooting has
commenced we will become practical, and take the field
very shortly, after • few passing remarks whilst we are
getting there. Pheasant shooting is an atiatocratic
sport, divested of the snobbery of the use sometimes
made of the term aristocratic, and to follow it keenly
and well there is very little harder work going, or work
more trying to the masculine vigour of the true sports-
man. It is common to represent and to consider the
pheasant an easy bird to kill, and to some who can
mark a penny-piece thrown up nine times out of ten, it
may be so; but to those who are nervous, or irritable,
or liverish, the noise the bird makes in rising, both by
the action of its wings, and by the disturbance of the
leaves as it makes its way through, it is very far other-
wise. The professed snap-shot frequently reaches his
bird before he is twenty yards off, and sometimes he
blows him to pieces, to the mirth of the thoughtless,and
the indignation of the true, sportsman. The methods
employed to a successful issue of the contest between
feather and shot are various, and should he varied, we
are inclined to think, according to locality, situation,
and characteristics of country to work over. The
working of pure-bred spaniels is very pretty—it is so
exciting too; the interest is so well kept up that though
the sport may be indifferent, the occupation has not
been shorn of its rural grace and freedom. Speaking of
the working of apaniels we may say, in the words of one
of our old poets
"855 how with emulative zeal they strive,
Thread the loose sedge, and thro' the thicket drive; -
No babbling voice time bosom falsely warms,
Or swells the panting heart with vain alarms,
Till all at once their choial tongues proclaim
The secret refuge of the lurking game.
Swift is their course, no lengthened warnings now
Space to collect the scatter'd thoughts allow.
No wary pointer shows the cautious ityytte
'Where from his russet conch the bird shall rise;
Perhaps light running e'er the mossy ground,
His devious steps your sanguine hopes confound;
Or, by the tangled branches hid from sight,
Sudden he trim his unexpected flight.
Soon as the ready dogs their quarry spring,
And swift he spreads his variegated wing.
C,eas'd is their cry, with silent look they wait,
Till the loud gun decides the event of fate."
(Ts ire eontitrued.)