The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
JERSEYS NEW ZANE BIRD.
Progress Made In Introaucing the RtnG-
Eecked fhensnnt.

Kecked fhensant.
TRENTON. Jan. 3o.-The New Jersey Fish and
Game Commissioner describe in their annual
report their attempt to introduce the ring
necked pheasant into the woods OF tho State as
q game bird. The ring.necked pheasants are q
cross between the Chinese pheasant and tho
dark.necked English bird. They were selected
as being harder. swifter flyers. and more likely
to remain in the neighborhood In which they
are placed than the Mongolian pheasants which
have been introduced in q few States. Their In
PRODUCTION was suggested by Howard p. Froth.
ingham. the Secretary and Treasurer Of the
| commission.
Last spring 243 Of the birds were procured
by the commission and distributed throughout
the State. Most Of them were sent to the south.
ern counties-Burlington and below-about fifty
being liberated In the upper counties OF Bergen,
Morris and Hunterdon. In most of the other
States these pheasants have boon introduced by
individual enterprise, New Jersey being ono of
the few to extend State aid. Tho ring
necked pheasants. It is said, do better hero
than In England. tho mother bird taking
better care of the young, because Of
tho moro prolific insect life. In this
country they have developed intoxicating pro.
~clivities far in excess of the bird In England.
and are thus of economic Importance to the
farmers. besides affording sport and food.
While through years Of domestioation the birds
have lost many of their wild traits. It IL said
that they quickly regain them. and II not PAM
pered or too closely looked after afford Q good
substitute for ruffed grouse, which are rapidly
diminishing and difficult of propagation because
Of their wildness.
Tho Commissioners say that II ring-necked
pheasants are adapted to introduction in this
country, there 10, perhaps. no State better quail
fed by nature for that purpose than Now Jer.
sey, with cultivated fields, forests. and streams
to provide tho birds with all that 10 necessary
for their well-beinR. The southern part Of the
State was selected for the liberation of tho
greater number of the birds. because 1t was
believed they would have q better chance
to escape tho guns Of the hunters than
in tho more thiokly settled northern part.
The letters received by the Commission
ers indicate that this belief was correct.
Eleven Of the nineteen persons to whom birds
were sent to be liberated have made reports.
All enlisted tho cooperation Of sportsmen and
farmers. the former agreeing not to shoot the
birds and the latter not to allow gunners on
their premises who would shoot them. In Mer-
Ger county ex~-Assemblyman Hutchinson reports
that one man shot q pheasant. and Immediately
there were notices put up forbldding trespass-
ing on all tho farms for miles around.
The chief complaint Is that the pheasants are
too domestic to live in tho woods. are an easy
prey to the hawks. and are slower flyers and not
as gamey and as able to protect themselves as
other pheasants, although George w Phifer of
Manumuskin reported that after the grass and
oats had been cut they left tho fields and were
quite as wild rs native birds. ]. Howard Will
lets of Cumberland county released twenty-four
birds, and found one nest three miles away from
the point at which they were released. He saw
ana heard of six different nests, in one of which
were thirty-six eggs. Thirty-ive Matched out.
and in October the covey numbered at least
Twenty-Five; The birdie make their nests in hay
or oat fields. and half q dozen of the reports
make mention of at least one nest being de-
stroyed or the mother bird killed by a moving
From the reports the Commissioners conclude
% Ssaam in t bs,;a state teon ssR I1f : yi WheH Ib the people
characteristics, habits. and needs. The proba.
bilitios certainly favor the establishment OF tho
birds OF the state.
Although essentially a woodland bird. +" the
bies tho quail in the. respect that il requires
arabic or cultivated fields for its we'll being. AS
the daytime and at night for ~rooSting; but in
tho early morning and again at rundown
fse siS.. f %ssrs t IN i MdsE Of essRRs s sissns spl e.. isf.
them something upon which to sn6sist; When
a frss4. sisbs at to suf fse ti Mnads they sI , %lai quickly sSnaay,s re-
hedge, Success need not be looked for in the
introduction Of pheasants unless there are fields
borage for them isa wooded hollow. with u
stream passing through 1t. with cultivated fields
a preference for cedar nnddcciduous trees"
Concerning the liberation of the birds the re-
Just before their breeding time. and thoy should
invariably be released at night. otherwise they
flying until utterly exhausted. Being separated
IL this way, increase Is hardly to DO looked for.
t MSs or P hed Ss. and ss " arg oven shef them tha fs shdlt'f before iG 3
dawn: Then they will examine the place and II
sta suits tass then until %ill fsey a aaa II a mot Sord ,hfS Svo w.li
locality. The best results are obtained when
adults are released. but the eggs may be
TSs h$tesinss shsSId be- Ss dong sass' 3 Sous sSs
and the young must be fed six times a day on
iniTS eggs. choppeed a3s. shells end all.
are a month old boiled potatoes, mashed fine,
may be added and the feelings reduced to Ave
fed to them. and after this they require less caro-
than, tho common barnyard fowl. being far
t nssS' vein mns9 foo is ' asd i'% shelter fS T1 fSr sh sao%l nsa
In putting them out one cock should DO released
Tho Commissioners released 1882 Western
severe winter of a few years age, and, the con.
pike.perch from Lake Erie and considerable
Lake and the Harlan and Delaware rivers. Six
huUuTcU HuHlL plkt-peTCn wore OUIhlneu ana n
quantity Of eggs, from which Warden 1ooker of
Perth Amboy developed about $4,000 fry;
Two thousand small black bass were liberated
in different streams in the State, and over
100000 eggs Of the iand-locked smeits were de-
posted in Lake Hopatcong.. Greenwood Lake.
streams Of Sussex county. and several pondsin
north Jersey. These smelts are intended to fur
nish food for the game fish. Thirty.six million
fry of the anadronous smelts were distributed
in tho Hackensack, Harlan. and Delaware
rivers and Greenwood Lake. They are TO serve
tho double purpose of furnishing sport for an
glerS and food for the game fish.
The Commissioners note the establishments OF
the Audubon Society OF New jersey at Plainfeld,
TO arouse interest in and protect native birds,
feathers OF any wild bird, and thus lessen the
present slaughter OF bird lifo for commercial
The Commissioners report that tho present
game law is unsatisfactory. 1t divides the
State into two districts. with different close
seasons. They one district, with an
open season for the whole State from Oct. Is to
Dec. 10. Under the present law acme kinds OF
1890 "a ~ EfliaA frpV, InIy 7 10 Ian 1hna