The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-08-06
THE CHINESE PHEASANT.
IT'S Successful Introduction Amid
the WiIds of Oregon.

This bird was introduced into Oregon
from China by Judge D. n. Denny, in
1880. Six pair Of pheasants were liberia
ted on Knox Butte, in Linn county, in
the heart of the Willamette Valley, either
to become naturalized, or to die, il the
climate proved untriendly, or the supply
of food insufficient, the only protection
granted being an act of the legislature
imposing fine of fifty dollars for killing
one. In this act they are called the Ring
necked Mongolian Pheasant, but are
known here in common parlance as the
China Pheasant" The protection cX-
pires in 1891 and the last legislature was
petitioned to remove the restriction on
the plea that the phcasants destroyed
grain, which petition was not granted, ii
being generally understood that the mo-
tive was i'll reality to allow sportsmcn
greater liberty in killing this very pala-
table game | have heard one reliable
farmer assert, however, that the pleas
apts injured his early roasting ear patch,
but othcrsdecIarc they havcnotbccn troub
led by them. A gentleman who is now
engaged i'll raising the bird from eggs set
under common hen, says the young
chicks refuse grain, and feed altogether ON
bugs, flies, etc. AS yet attempts to do
mesticatc the CpheaSant has proved unsuc-
ccSsiul for though they thrive anA readily
follow Il hen, as soon as large enough to
look out for themselves they take to the
woods or fields, even the hybrid often
found among the fowls show the wild in
stinct. Whether it may have been the
reflections of these cXilcd birds thrown
upon their own resources i'll a strange
land, they havcmultiplicd rapidly during
these eight years, notwithstanding the
rcstrictablc law has been lightly regarded.
In Linn county they are said to be more
over the valley and foothills. The fol
lowing is from a town paper:
The close season for grouse and
phcasantS is out next Monday. The
Chinese phcasantS are still protected
nomnaly, though it is probable that
numbers of them will bite the dust this
fall. 1t is not in human nature, not in
Sportman nature to resist shot at one
of the beauties as he rises from the stub
bic field. The Chinese pheasant is Ger
tainly valuable bird. The male bird is
indeed beauty, measuring fifteen inches
in height, and thirty inches from hcak to
tip of tail, of graceful, rather slender
form and covered with many coIorrd
feathers which lie thick and close to the
body. These changcin the cvHrying light
the brown to red and purple, green to
blue which probably accounts for the
contradictory statements | have heard
as to their color. am told that at one
season only, is their plumagc at the
highest perfection. The female dresses in
Il sober specklcd gown "nd dcvotcS her
self with diligence to rearing her BROOD
in which task the malcIbird assists. Two
or three brOods are raised in one season
each containing sixteen or more chicks
and as the older brOOdS continue to fol
low the hen it is usual to see gangs of
twenty-five or thirty birds of different
sizes following one pair. They are adopts
in hiding and their mode of escape is run
ming close to the ground. This charac-
teristic gives the Gagged bird quite a de
jectcd look not at all i'll keeping with his
magnificent plumagc, nor with the be-
holders natural desire that he should
show off. The bird when dressed is
about the size of full grown chicken
common breed.
Arizona has sent an order for ten pair
which are to he furnished at 81 a pair
A like number have been sent to eastern
Oregon. Has Western North Carolina
any glcanngs to spare these Mongolians;
They are said to be a hardy bird and
imagine the North Carolina woods afford
even greater variety and as an abundant
supply Of food, evcn if her valleys do not
tempt with such vast fields of grain as
Oregon. Mrs. d. ATKINS.
Corvallis, Oregon.