Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-29
MoHGoLiAH pHEASAHTS.
SEVERAL DOZEN RECEIVED BY THE
GAME COMMISSIONERS.
rds of Beautiful Plumage and Excel
lent Table Qualities-More Chinese
Quail Needed.

For the past two years there has beer
considerable talk about the proposed in
PRODUCTION OF Monaghan pheasants into
this State. Several objections were urged
against the proposition OH the ground that
as alleged, these pheasants were not desir
able for shooting purposes, and also thai
they had killed of the quail and grouse in
Oregon, wherever their numbers had in
creased.
These objections had the effect of delay
ing action in the matter by the State Game
and Fish Commissioners, who have since
been assured that the pheasants in Oregon
were not half as bad as had been reported
Accordingly, ii was resolved to give them
a trial, and yesterday the Commissioners
received three dozen of the birds from Ore
gon, which it is proposed to distribute in
various localities.
Although these Monaghan pheasants are
very prolific breeders, il would be much
better for the Commission to place them
all in one colony, or two at the most, in.
stead of dividing the lot up into small
numbers. The same mistake has been
who introduced Eastern quail into this
State. The birds were put out in small
colonies and were never afterwards heard
of. If these three dozen pheasants were
turned loose in one place they would soon
rapidly increase and spread out until q
large section OF country would be covered
by them otherwise there is danger OF
their being killed off by pot-hunters and
other natural enemies of everything that
wear feathers
The Monaghan pheasant is bird Of
beautiful plumage and its flesh is said to
be equal to that of the quail or grouse
Although it does not lie well, and is diff
cult to shoot, because of its wariness, still it
would be great addition to field and
copse, because of its beauty.
While on the subject of foreign game
birds, it may not be out of place to suggest
that the Commission should make an
effort the coming winter to procure large
number of Chinese quails for distribution
throughout the State. Those turned loose
last winter are said to have increased in
localities where the colonies were large,
but the smaller lots have not been heard
from. The Commission should endeavor
to secure as near 10000 of these birds as
possible, and in distributing them put out
not less than 500 in any one locality. They
could then be placed at various points in
the several valleys of the State where they
would be sure to increase, so that in five
years there would be any quantity of them.
1t must be expected that snakes, pole
cats, 'coons, foxes, ETC., will destroy many
nests and young birds each breeding sea-
son, hence the necessity for making the
colonies as large as possible. There is ev-
cry reason to believe that these Chinese
quails will prove to be the best game birds
ever hunted in this State. So far as their
habits have been observed, the birds ap-
pear to be-what the native quail are not,
as a general rule-very close hiders in
cover, thus affording excellent opportuni.
ties for the sportsmen's dogs to find and
point" them.
The partial lack of this quality in the
disposition of the California quail renders
it very difficult-and consequently a
very unsatisfactory-bird to hunt. The
sportsmen of the State should use their in
huence with members of the coming Leg
islature to secure the appropria,- of suf-
fcient funds to purchase large number of
Chinese and Eastern quail for the valleys
of the State, leaving the native bird mon
arch of the chaparral thickets in the foot
hills-itS natural home.
1t would be good idea for the State
Commissioners to put all the pheasants
just received On the Haggin grant of "A 900
acres, where they will be safe from moles-
tation, as no hunting is allowed thereon.