The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-06-16
NEW GAME BIRD.
MASSACHUSETTS, is BREEDING
WILD PHEASANTS.
How the Monaghan Pheasant
Thrives in America and Is
u Great Aid to
Farmers.
n MASSACHUSETTS,, through

year with results that would indicate
ultimate success.
The Monaghan pheasant is believed
to possess many advantages over the
English pheasant. being handsomer
and harder, and more Of O true game
bird, while it rs more prolific and bet
ter adapted to q cold climate. These
pheasants are found in large numbers
In Siberia, which would indicate their
ability to survive through a long win
ter with deep SHOWS.
They were first introduced into this
country by Judge Denny, of Oregon.
There they have grown prodigiously
in numbers.
The Monaghan pheasant has been
found so valuable to the farmers OF
Oregon, where it has lived exclusively
on grubs and worms, destroying many
dangerous pests, that the Legislature
OF the State has passed law prohibit
ing the expectation of the birds. This
has since been amended so as to per
NIT the expectation of few speci-
mems to other States wishing to use
them for breeding purposes.
There are many kinds of pleas.
ants, but only two of them are desir.
able as game birds-the English and
Monaghan" says Commissioner Brack
EFT, in his report to the Massachu.
setts Legislature. 1.-THE English, as il
is called, is evidently made-up bird,
and does not always breed to form and
feather. The ring on the neck is some.
times wanting. In form 1t more close
~ resembles the Mongo!ian than any
other variety. In disposition it is
comparatively logy md tamable. and
when artihcially bred may be taught
to eat food from the hand of the breed
or. The hunting of these birds in
England shows that they fall an easy
prey to the sportsman, if such name
can be applied to the wholesale slaugh-
ter OF these birds by unskilled marks
men.
"The Monaghan is q more active,
nervous and untamable, bird, more
wary, and constantly on the alert.
His wealth of plumage and stately
bearing distinguish him from other
pheasants. Coming, as he does, from
Northern China and Southern Siberia,
where winters are severe, he is in
every way better adapted to our New
England climate than is the English.
Another important point is that
they are more prolific. The English,
IN confinement, lays from twonty to
thirty eggs during q season, and the
Monaghan from sixty to eighty. In
Oregon they have two and sometimes
three broods o year.
"Few things about homestead can
be more interesting than awell-stocked
aviary OF these birds, while the farm
is rendered doubly attractive by their
beautiful plumage flashing in the sun
light as they sweep over the fields and
through the forests"
1t has been found in Massachusetts,
that the MoDgolian pheasants are most
persistent in their search for all kinds
of insects and their Larvae. The gypsy
moth has been devastating whole dis
tricts and has already cost the State
hundreds of thousands of dollars
This pest, it is hoped, will be put On
end to by the Monaghan pheasant.
Near where The pheasants have been
bred, at Winchester, Mass, the
gypsy moth has been especially plentl.
full among the trees. Some of the
trees which have been burlapped as
prevention of the gypsy moth were in
the enclosure where the pheasants
were kept. The burlaps were turned
once or twice week, but only two of
the larve of the gypsy moth were
found. The young pheasants we're
often seen chasing each other, one
having q caterpillar or insect in its
bill. In two instances this was found
to be the larvso of the gypsy moth.
SO thoroughly did the pheasants
scour the ground Of their enclosure
that not even frogs we're permitted to
live there. The large, dusky notified
worms from one to three inches long
which iniest walnut trees were eaten
with the greatest avidity by the
pheasants. Some of the young chicks
of the pheasants refused the larve Of
the potato bug. The grown -up birds,
however, we're not so particular and
gobbled the larvm with complacencv.
The MoDgollan pheasant has these
two great advantages-he is a fine
game bird and excellent for eating.
Indeed there are some gourmets who
aver that in flavor and Tenderness the
Monaghan exceed those OF the Eng
lish pheasant.
As a game bird for the sportsman
tho Monaghan is quicker in fight than
the English pheasant and much more
difficult TO shoot. He is untamable,
and is full of vigor and is always OF
the alert.
AS an illustration Of the hardness
Of these birds Commissioner Bracket,
Of Massachusetts,, says that in August
last a small box containing one hen
and six small pheasants about three
weeks old was sent TO him from Van
couver. They we're eight days on the
journey, with no other food than dry
wheat and water. When the box was
placed in the aviary and opened the
pheasants "burst from it like rockets. -
At the Massachusetts, aviary near
Winchester IL was found that the young
Mongolians are very hardy after they
are three weeks old. At that age they
begin TO fly ovor the high wire fence
into the adjoining woods. These chicks
would return to the coops at night IN.
III they were six OK eight weeks old.