The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-06
EAEEMANS WANDERINCS
ENGLISH PHEAsANTS.

Outlay for = Brief Sport Upon the
Great English Estates.
Copyright, 1892. by Edgar L. wakeman.l
BANBURY, England, July 25.-From am
point Of consideration the English pleas
ant is the most splendid bird that reaches
the English market.
Somebody, perhaps an Irishman, has
called IL "the sacred ibis Of Great Britain. a
II IL certainly all but worshiped. The
idolatry is an expensive one for it surely
costs England, Ireland and Scotland more
than 81. 10000 TO rear 20 shoot and to
finally eat such pheasants as annually
come to the gun.
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.
IL is almost inconceivable 10 an American
bow universally the "sportman" craze pre-
walls In England, Ireland and Scotland,
and how every acre Of land and rod of
shore, outside Of and distinct from all other
uses TO which IL may be put issportsman's
property, yielding extraordinary returns in
rentals for the shooting and fishing"
rights alone. On former occasion / de
monstrated that the exercise of these rights
and privileges annually cost British sports
men the enormous sum Of 100000, on
t30090,O00 in American money.
Yhis vast expenditure is almost wholly
confined 10 whatever pa sure may be got
In poking about moors, other waste though
thoroughly guarded tracts and tenant
farmers fields for snipe, quail and grouse,
capercailzie and deer. Pheasants, then,
while they may eventually come 10 the
tables Of the vulgar tradesmen and literary
folk, are really the game birds Of the Brit
ish aristocracy, and Of the landed aristoc-
racy al that. They are found only within
the grounds Of ReDtlemen's seats and
lordly demesnes, save where, as in pheasant
farms, they are exclusively bred 10 increase
the numbers upon the estates
Every British nobleman's estate and
every English, Irish or Scottish gentle
mans country seat is in point of fact TO a
greater or less degree pleasantly, and
the increase and protection Of this one
game bird are paramount TO all other du-
ties or pleasures From every accessible
means OF information believe that fully
10000 pheasants are annually slaughter
ed in the United Kingdom. OF these over
10000 reach the London market stalls
alone, and this number represent only
those which have legitimately come from
the "battues" or Shoots" in October, No
vember and early December, and do not
take into account the heavy annual drafts
by poachers upon the rich and well stocked
preserves.
Necessarily great pains are annually
folrfp Ia kaaF, II fbQ nbaaoorf cnnpliaE
There are some professional breeders.
Their establishments are distinctively
known as game farms. From these
pheasants' eggs chicks and adults are
often supplied by the hundreds and thou
sands TO the more aristocratic estates.
The Prince of Wales is by no means first
among the breeders and yet on his estate
Of Sandringham and the adjoining prop
erty of Castle Risingham, which be has
leased for sporting purposes, as many as
from 1900 to 5000 pheasants are annually
provided by his royal highness for his
sportsmen friends In two or three of the
dukeries, and on other large estates as
well, immense pains and expense are given
10 insure abundant supplies of the bird Of
Colchis. The killing Of from 1000 to 1900
birds at one "battue" has often been re-
corded and it is well known that $500 were
shot during one season at Elvedon, In Nor
folk, which has an area Of 1900 acres.
On all estates Of average area the head
gamekeeper will be allowed a half dozen
keepers TO assist him in breeding and
caring for the game and In protecting it
from inroads of poachers. Often the
number of under keepers will be increased
~
under foresters; so that where from 1900
TO 1000 pheasants may be required for the
sutumnal guns of milord's sportsmen
guests, with the wives and children Of the
helpers who may live in cottages within
the demeSne walls, score of persons will
be employed in the breeding and caring for
pheasants upon one estate alone.
Usually these birds which have escaped
both the poacher's nets and the sports.
mems guns are allowed to run wild during
the winter, care principally being taken to
keep their runs and coverts clear of too
great Instructions by snow, to have their
haunts~ occasionally provided with dry
straw or leaves, and 60 keep their drink
Ing wells or water troughs, open and clear
of refuse, and that they are we'll fed with
oats and corn. On some estates during Oc-
tober and November a certain number are
caught, taken TO the aviary, or pheasantry,
their wings regularly clipped every two or
three weeks, and the- are thus kept and
fed during the winter TO provide the re-
quired egg supply during the spring
months, the scarcity of eggs being one Of
the most serious drawbacks in pheasant
breeding.
Usually, however, the old birds are not
taken up until the last Of February.
Then they are systematically starved"
by nonfeeding for about week, when
large figure a. traps are set near their
haunts Trails Of oats are scattered be-
tween. The pheasants readily follow
e. these to the traps, which are sprung by
strings in the hands Of the keepers, any
desired number being thus easily Sc
cured
These birds are taken to the aviaries,
which the keepers, among whom l have
many good friends, insist on calling
"areas." These are simply large wooded
spaces IN the demesne grounds, inclosed
by fences Of wire netting, sometimes twelve
feet high. The wings Of the birds are
constantly clipped or they would escape
but the breeders find the labor required
less costly than q wire netting covering
for such necessarily large tracts These
syiaries are provided with mock coyerts Of
bark and Dough, with nesting places and
watering troughs, while some are secured
against yermin by curved iron bases TO the
inclosing netting charged with electricity,
which causes death TO ali rodents attempt