The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-06

= "a NR6AAk Va t 6
pheasant is the most splendid bird that
reaches the English market.
Somebody, perhaps an Irishman, has
called it 'the sacred ibis OF Groat Brit
ain" It is certainly all but worshipped.
Theidolatry is an expensive one; for IL
surely costs England, Ireland and Scot
land more than a million pounds ster-
ling to rear, to shoot and to finally cat
such pheasants as annually come to the
gun.
II the vast areas OF valuable enclosed
land comprised in eentlomen'sseatsanG
parked demesnes Of the nobility, which
are almost solely devoted to runs and
coyerts for pheasants, should be taken
into account, and anything like a fair
rental for these be added to the actual
current sums expended, the outlay up
ON 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 tho pheasant is an interesting
bird in all its relations to life upon the
great English estates-in its extraordl-
nary personal beauty; as tho imme-
mortal worry OF keepers and prey OF
poacbers; in its occupying greater at
tention 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. Every one has heard how Sidney
Smith, and he was no mean epicure, as
sorted that he knewofno purely earthly
Joy equal TO roast pheasant with rich
gravy Clipped potatoes and bread
sauce. For an Americans understand
ing, It may truly be said thatthe pleas
ant is our turkey, partridge andquaili in
oneiample and delicious frame.
The limitations OF shooting in Great
Britain undoubtedly add much, from
the sportsman standpoint, 10 the deep
British interest at all times in these
splendid birds. II is almost i%nconceiy.
able to an American how universally
the "sportsman" craze prevails in En-
gland. Ireland and Scotland, and how
every acre of land and rod Of shore,
outside OF and distinct from all other
usesto which it may be put, Is sports
mans property, yielding extraordinary
returns in rentals for the shooting"
and Fishing rights alone. On a for
mer occasion l demonstrated that the
exercise Of these rights and privileges
annually cost British sportsmen the en-
( ormous sum of E6,000,000, or SS0,000,-
0005in American money.
This vast expenditure is almostwholly
ga-mg.aA 81 trhakauar TAln0nnfa NAV hh
got in poking about moors, other
wastethough ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tracts
and tenant farmers fields for snipe,
quail and grouse, capercailzie and deer.
Pheasants, then, while they may event
ually comes to tine tables OF the vulgar
tradesmen and literary folk, are really
the game birds of the British aristo-
cracy, and ofthe landed a%ristocracy at
that. They are found only within the
grounds OF gentlemen's seats and lordly
demesnes, a v where as in pheasant
farms, they are exclusively bred to in
crease the numbers upon the estates.
Allithe conditions OF their existence in
the first place, their breeding, their in
crease and retention are necessarily
alonelfound within the walled in parks
OF the country gentry and and nobility.
Andithe sport found in their annual
destruction is so absolutely exclusive
that that they can only reach the COM
mon mortals' table, at from q crown to
d guinea q brace, by way of the ubiquit-
d poacher's net or alter Coming to
the gunsI7 Of the rich, the titled andthe
great.
Every British nobleman's estate, and
every English. Irish or Scotch gentle
mans country seat, is in point OF fact
to a greater or less degree apheasantry,
and the increase aud protection of this
one game bird are paramount to all
other duties or pleasures. From every
accessible means of information, l be.
lieye that fully one million pheasants
are annually slaughtered in the United.
Kingdom. OF these over 100000 reach
the London market stalls alone; and
this number Represented only those which
have legitimately come from the "9bat-
tues or tshoots' in October, Novem.
Der and early December, and do not
take into account the heavy annual
drafts by poaehers upon the rich and
well stocked preserves.
Necessarily great pains are annually
taken to keep the pheasant supplies.
There are some professional breeders.
Their establishments are distinctively
known as game farms. From these,
pheasanta' eggs. chicks and adults are
often supplied by tho hundreds and
Thousands to tho moro arlstocratic es-
tates, although q nobleman or gentle.
man greatly loses in caste among aristo.
cratic sporEsmen If he is known to lack
tho ability Of keeping his own preserves
bountifully supplied through the pro-
fciency and cunning Of his own game
keeper.
The Prince Of Wales is by no means
frst among the breeders, and yet on
his estate at sandringham and the I'D.
Joining property Of Castle Ristngham
which he has leased for sporting pur-
POSES. as many as from 1000 TO 5000.
pheasants are annually provided by
his royal highness for his sportsmen
friends. In two or three OF the duker-
les. and on other large estates as well,
immense pains and expense are given
10 insure abundant supplies Of the
birds Of Colchis. Tho killing of from
1000 10 1000 birds at one "battue" hns
often been recorded, and 1t Is we'll
known that $500 we're shot during ono
season at Elvedon, in Norfolk, which
has an area, Of 1900 acres. There are
other game farms as they are called in
other parts Of England, and there Is at
iedSts onesuch huge pleasantly in Scot
land. on tho Marquis OF Ailsa's estate
In Ayrshire. /,
on all estates Of average area the head
eamekeeper will be alloFedaha dozen
Feeners 10 assist him in breeding and