The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-23
TO KILL GYPSY MOTHS
State of Massachusetts Breed
ing Mongolian Pheasants.
THE PEST HAS cosT $1,000. 600.
Pheasanrs VIII Eat Nothing Else If
They Can Get the Moths and Lar
ve The Bird Breeding.
winchester, Mass. Letter in New York
Press

Press.
Lots ot fun Is being had here raising
AouxoIgaa rAzasants fer the common wealth
OF Massachusetts,. 1t is an experiment in
thA work Of investigation In regard u the
practicable methods Of exterynlnatirg that
most IN iurigus and expensive pest. t8s
xvasv moth Over s. 8sa00o has already
been spent b. the state IN an attempt 10
get ria Of this insect. which has preyei
uuon the agricultural interests from the
coast 10 the New York state line.
Phsasants are fond OF gypsy moths. They
ere 50 fond OF them that when given the
suportunjty they VIII make an exclusive
diet on the species. So the state Is raising
them on a wholesale scale. and their
plurnage may soon be seen ffuttering over
the fields and orchards TO delight the heart
o. the suffering farmer The only draw
back at present is the cat. The cat is just
as fond OF the Monaghan pheasant as that
bird IS OF the gypsy moth.
I'VE have So far watched these pleas
ants very carefully" say the fish and game
commissioners, and the statement OF
Judge Denny, OF oregon. that they are OF
advantage TO the farmer and horticultgrist.
in destroying injurious insects without
hurt 20 the crops. appears TO be fully sus-
tanned They are certainly most persist
ent in their search for all kinds OF insects
and their larvae They scratch but little.
using their bills. which are well adapted
10 the purpose. TO turn over the ground in
search of food that does not come 10 the
surface. OF the different caterpillars
which have been abundant on the ground
IL is evident that few IL any have been al
lowed 70 live long enough TO change 10
chrysalis or cocoon On this ground.
which is partly covered with forest and
fruit trees. the gypsy moth Is found, and
about go OF the trees have been burlapped.
MANY OF these trees are inside of the in
fhs raN-
The burlaps were turned once or twice
week, bat no larvae or coeoons were found.
except two larvae OF the gypsy moth. The
chicks were often seen chasing one another,
the leaders invariably having caterpillar
or insect in their bills. In two Instances
the prey proved to be larvae OK the gypsy
moth.
Not even a frog was permitted 10 live
on the grounds. The large. dusty, notified
worms, from one TO two inches long, which
infest walnut trees, were eaten with avid
ity. The only thing we have known chicks
to refuse was the larvae OF the potato bug.
Full grown birds were not quite so fastid-
ious, and If hungry would eat them
1.-THE Monaghan pheasant Is untamable.
quick in fight. very prolific, capable OF de-
Tending its young, is excellent food. and II
Ii can be established here with anything
like the success il has met with In oregon
will be a great acquisition to the supply OF
food. The statement that they VIII drive
other birds out is not true.
The breeding grounds are situated on
the outskirts of a thickly settled village
infested with eats. These marauders prowl
around the large Enclosure. sometimes into
t. picking off the birds whenever they have
a chance. A gun was kept constantly IN
reach, ana, so far as We know. no cat
made second visit.
Young Mongol.sns are hardy after they
al nd a
begin TO fly over the high wire fence OF the
large Enclosure into the gardens and adj
Joining woods. and occasionally into pri-
waite grounds in the upper part or the VII
lage, returning to the coops at night. but
often staying away from one to Two
weeks.
THE state plant for breeding next year
will be quite extensive, and, except for
some small details, Is completed. IL con-
slsts of eight large aviar.es, rooted over,
for the old birds: one large covered corral
2sxeo feet. capable OF holding 800 young
birds. and an inelosure OF nearly an acre
OF land covered with forest trees. grass.
cultivated shrubs. and plants. and fenced
IN with chestnut posts SIX feet high, upon
which wire cloth is securely nailed. In
tended for the young birds TO forage IN
Inside OF this inclosure are forty-threa
eoops and small yards used for breeding.
In the large avairles are nineteen fnll-
grown McnEobsIl paesasaittS' AtoAh S..e ~
two years old In the large corral are
seventy or eighty young ones raised this
year and having the freedom OF the inclo-
sure and the surrounding woods. There
are also hfty-three game and mixed ban
tarns. used for mothers this season, and l07
Pekln hartams, ninety-seven OF which were
raised on the grounds this year. and from
which we intend 20 take our sittlngs here
after There 20 also small, tight build
Ing with tall ventlator. for raising and
propagating food"