The sun., 1896-01-11

The Results OF the Mnssnchusetts Expert
ments with the Chinese Variety.

from the Bos.on Herald.
Douots that may have existed AS to the value
OF the Mongoian pheasant as a game bird in
this State in a fair way TO be dispelled in the
next few months. The Massachusetts Fish and
Game Commissioners started in breeding the
birds less than year ago and have bred them
successfully. 1t remains to be seen whether
the pheasants can endure the New England win
ter. but there never was much fear on that
score and 80 far the pheasants all right
1t will be recalled that the Chinese or Mon
golinn pheasant was protected for five years by
a statute Of s04. and the Game Commissioners
set to work to stock the State. The Mongolian
was selected for the purpose on account of its
extreme hardness and toothsome qualities.
well as for n wild wariness that made 1t q most
desirable game bird. The only light of expert
ence the matter came from Oregon. where
thirty four phcasants were turned loose less
than ten years ago. and now the state is overrnn
with them. 1t has been found out there that the
pheasant is n destroyer of the insect world
rather than of grain. and the farmers take to
Chairman Bracket of the Massachusetts Com
mission secured twelve phchsants last spring
from Oregon. which added to a few lc had left
over from consignment the previous year.
made up the ancestors OF the coming pheasant
pheasants had to do with the English variety.
and the years work has been an experiment IN
required different treatment altogether. New
IDEAS had to % be developed, anh tle net result
appears To DC mrthod calculated U produce
Mongolian pheasants al libitum. Nearly 100
birds were bred of whom fifty were distributed
fifty are in the ayiary at Winchester. and the
Til The last element is not only disturbing fac
tor. but an annoving feature as well all through
the IL be d nat the
don Of traps set around ,,, The aviary. and they
a fine fertilizer, as the appearance OF some fruit
trees In the yard will attest and by II wonderful
example of retributive justice their bodies were
cd tn ha n tyn ayyil
be shown m @ later on With ali the precantions "s: mt
taken, however. pussy managed to get few
birds. 1t is believed that about twenty pheas.
ants were caught by cats and skunks. ana about
thirty escaped altogether;
The instinct Of the birds is to lie close when
danger threatens. and with dog they have
somewhat better chances of escaping In that
way. Cats can creep mp however. and land on
Of hs e.caped phea"nts that have been oS
served. their rule seems to be To keep out of
sss at A. tines e a1 the
| flushed, and In hunting them the best plan,
when. a shot fails. is to hunt up another bird
ants would fy out of anything that didn't have
n roof. and that is how some escaped, There
was no such thing as catching them, and OF
then along the roadsides and in the woods.
usually at = respectful distance, After the snow
storm last month several made their appearance
| at the nviary. looking for T. meal They got It
all right. but could not he temp,ed TO come
withnrcach. i, is no, expected that the first
inr in their first year OF freedom, but their
| hroohs brought M in the wilds of nature. will
Game associations and publ spirited citizens
n various parts OF the stat" have been supplied
many Of these person. will breed them with ns
| much care Hs does the commissioner, turning
'e py Of brds TI is N 10 h ken, n, the
| chester ayary. where il is hopcd that next year
there will be enough birds to distribute; so that
| In n few years more Massachusetts ought to he
! tceming with MOngOlan phenSauts