The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-07
WAKEMAN'SW ANDERINGS
aovB INTERESTING POINTS ABOUT
ENGLISH PHBASANTS.

p,eading and Shooting of These
nIotcnlessly Beautiful and Tooth
.o,oe Bieds-Vast Outlay for Brief
snort Upon the Great English Es-
tates. ,,......ut,
p,vRrRY. / ENGLAND, July 25.-From
.rv point of consideration the English
,bsosant is the most splendid bird that
rascbes the English market.
Somebody, perhaps an Irishman, has
..nad sit the sacred Ibis of Great Britain"
TITS certainly all but worshiped. The idol
.trv is an expensive one; for it surely costs
zealand. Ireland and Scotland more than
p1OO0OOO to rear, to shoot and to finally
a,tsuoh pheasants es annually como to the
gun. - ,A,o ...,o,,a
land comprised in gentlemen's seats and
MARKED denesnes Of the nobility which are
almost solely devoted to runs and coverts
lar pheasants, should be taken into account,
and ANYTHING like fair rental for these be
added to the actual current sums expended,
The outlay upon this one bird alone would
annually reach millions upon millions Of
dollars. and be found to exceed all other
forms Of outlay by British sportsmen COM
bined.
Indeed the pheasant is an interesting bird
IN all its relations to life upon the great
English estates-in its extraordinary per-
sonal beauty; as the fmmemorial worry of
keepers and prey of poachers; il its occupy
ing greater attention from titled sportsmen
than do all other game birds of Britain;
and, above all, from its superb and match
less place among the delicacies of the table.
hoa
and be was no mean epicure, asserted that
he knew OF no purely earthly joy equal to
roast pheasant with rich gravy, Clipped po-
tatoes and bread sauce. For an Americans
understanding; it may truly be said that the
pheasant is our turkey, partridge and quail
in one ample and delicious frame.
The limitations of shooting In Great
Britain undoubtedly add much, from the
sportsman standpoint, to the deep British
interest at all times in these splendid birds.
1t almost inconceivable TO the American
how universally tue sporting" craze pre-
walls in England Ireland and Scotland, and
how every acre OF land and rod of shore,
outside Of aud distinct from all other uses
to which it may be put, is sportsman's
property, yielding extraordinary returas in
rentals for the shooting" and fishing"
rights alone. On a former occasion | dem
onstrated that the exercise Of those rights
and privileges annually cost British sports
men the enormous sum of $4,000, 900 or
$4,000, 900 in American money.
This vast expenditure Is almost wholly
confined to whatever pleasure may be got
iapoking about moors, other waste though
4 thoroughly guarded tracts and tenant farm
\ ers' fields for snipe, quail and grouse, capec-
& cailze and deer. Pheasants, then, while
g they may eventually come to the table of
the vulgar tradesmsn and literary folk,
8 are really the game birds of the British
aristocracy, and of the landed aristocraoy
8 at that. They are found only within the
4 grounds Of gentlemens' seats and lordly
delnesnes, save where as in pheasant farms,
a they are exclusively bred TO increase the
q numbers upon the estates. All the condi-
q tons OF their existence in the first place.
4 their breeding. their increase and retention
are necessarily alone found within the
walled in parks of the country gentry and
nobility. And the sport found in their an
81 nual destruction is so absolutely exclusive
that they can only reach the common NOR
tails table, at from q crown to a guinea a
brace, by way Of the ubiquitous poacher's
net or after coming to the guns" of the
rich, the titled and the great.
Every British nobleman's estate and every
English, Irish or Scottish gentleman's coun-
try seat is in point Of fact to greater or
less degree pleasantly, and the
increase and protection of this one
game bird are paramount to all other
duties or pleasures. From every accessible
means OF information, l believe that fully
81 OOCOOg pheasants are annually slaughtered
In the United Kingdom. or these over
IVVJOO reach the London market stalls
alone; and this number represent only those
winch have legimately come from the
'bettues" or Shoots" in October, Novem-
Der and early December; and do not take
INTO account the heavy annual drafts by
poachers upon the rich aud we'll stocked
preserves.
Necessarily great pains are annually taken
& to keep up the pheasant supplies. There are
soine professional breeders. Their establish
.neu@ are distinctively known as game
lalsuS' from these, pheasants eggs, chicks
Suu ADULTS are often supplied by the hum
uEeu' and thousands to the more aristocratic
estates although a nobleman or gentleman
sreaty loses in caste among aristocratio
w I. .suan II he is known to lack the ability
y, A99eptng his own preserves bountlfully
GppAe1 through the proficiency aud cum
Ni Ig OF his own gamekeeper.
ne FRINGE Of Wales Is by no means first
riCig she breeders, and vet on his estate of
C cunningham and the adjoining property of
,1ss.e Alslngham, which he has leased for
II 0o6 lug lg purposes, as many as from 1000 70
81 49, Pueasants are annually provided by
FL toysl hlghneSs for his sportsmen friends.
M0 or three of the dukeries, and on
T Ud large estates as well immense pains
,unr ~ pense are given to insure abundant
t t OF the bird of Colchis. The killing
80 .oI I EOOO to 1900 birds at one "battuen
i,ou ol.en been recorded, and 1t Is well
ou Nv" vi mat ., 800 we're shot during one sea-
70. az ", hlyedon in Norfolk, which has an
az u VI I',OOO acres. There are other game
Rn- tlo, as they are called, in other parts of
bosaaaaHl' and there is at least one such huge
issi'unsIy In Scotland, on the Marquis of
"a estate IN Ayrshire.
- q" estates of average area the head
f1oa'eper Will be allowed half dozen
for H. W assist him in breeding and caring
foeds q game and in protecting 1t from in
bndsrLl poachers. Often the number of
IA carta? .pers Will be increased by drawing,
H n thet u seasons, upon the under foresters,
tnev bs "uere from 1000 to 1900 pheasants
fnllord. e4ulred for the autumnel guns of
4 md ob5d poFtsmen guests, with the wives
eotta,IasI I,i, OF the helpers who may live IN
4 ~ naro,. "IIuin the demesne walls, a score
snd cs ,ius VIII be employed in the breeding
Alone. Ao' pneasants upon one estate
MI, Gs9 IA these birds which have esoaped
fuDs aro p1acher's nets and the sportsmens
Rinter. a!'o"ed TO run wild during the
4 feep thai Gare principally being taken to
fraa+ oLu runs and coyerts clear of too
I sn l. oo'tructions by snow IN have thair
r. 's occasionally nrov,dad y1ith drv
ssn " orleayes, and 20 keen their drinkinS
/ fefnso water troughs open and clear u
III c,,, euu that they are well fed with oats
H. HA On some estates during Octoher
\ november a cartaf, 80. - -.