The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-10-22
P H { AS A n 7 S.
THE GREATEST OF ALL INSEC.
TRIv0R0US BIRDS.
As a Strictly Game Bird They
Are Unsurpassed.

but Tue buTuRchH IOubiutut su'
greatest sympathy is being display
ed with the doctrine of protecting
birds OF all kinds, but particularly IL
the protection OF insectivorous anC
strictly game birds. In the early
lays OF the country, in fact until q
very recent period, the grain anC
fruits crops OF she United States wer,
carefully guarded from the destruct
iul incursions of every species OF In
sect pests by the ever watchiul black
birds and the ravenous and strong
limbed owls. But the carefully com
piled work OF statistlcians employed
by she National Government and by
she National Audubon Society prove
beyond all question that the destruc
tion OF the blackbirds and other old
friends OF the farmer and the growers
OF fruit and cotton has permitted
she Increase OF grain, plant and fruit
destro ripg insects TO go enormous
IN extent that, In the opinion oil
more than one eminent Entomolo.
gist, the boil weevil, the green bug
and other cotton and grain para
sites have demonstrated their ability
10 almost "elean up" the entire cere-
al crops Of whole states, and to re.
duce In a measurable degree the lib.
eral cotton yield Of this country.
But valuable, as undoubtedly has
been, those better known predacious
foes OF fruit and grain destroying In,
sects there has recently doomed up
big, as the absolute annihilator of
the caterpillar and the scale, the
green bug and the boil weevil, the
field mouse and the cabbage worm,
splendid bird-the pheasant-oi
great beauty and grace; a charm TO
the eye, invaluable as an inveterate
enemy of insects In all forms; one OF
the most elegant and gamest oigame
birds; and, when prepared for the
table, is one OF the sweetest It'd. bits
that the most exacting epicure could
desire.
Long years ago, the sncients paid
generous homage to the handsome
birds Of vari-co lored piumage,
brought by the centurions OF Rome's
Imperial Rulers and by the cohorts
OF Athens and Carthage from the
east; first, because OF their exceed.
ingly attractive appearance; then as
the most delectable table delicacy
within reach OF the eqicurean gour.
mands OF that day, and subsequent.
ly on account Of their persistent pre-.
datory instincts on voraciously COB.
bling the worms and larvae destruc-
tive OF the vines from which was to
be obtained the grape juice which
helped TO feed the poetic fire OF a
Horace and Virgil and give to
countless generations the immortal
Odes and the Aeneid.
But up TO the time OF the intro.
duction by the Roman legions OF the
pheasants into Gaul and the country
OF the Angles and the Sax ons, gorge.
ously adorned birds, the Romans
contentipg themselves with "hawk.
ing" for them beyond the seven hills
OF the immortal city, along the
wooded parts OF the Csmpana, to.
wards the blue Adriatic and North
to the lovely Como and Maggiore:
Almost Immediately on being in.
troduced into Gaul and Britain they
were recognized and protected for,
the beauty OF their plumage, their
devotion TO the useful instinct of
seeking and devouring all kinds OF
insects, the delights OF sharing so
cunning a game bird, and for the
dalntiness OF their meat.
Then came period when the al.
most inestimable value OF pheasants
as crop protectors was recognized
and conceded, and with the forma.
ton OF stable governments, strict
laws were passed encircling them
with that governmental care which
their high value to the state deserv-
ed. With rapid and large increases
in their numbers and the importa-
ton OF many varieties from distant
Asiatic provinces, licenses were grant
ed to many OF the large land-owning
classes to raise them in great clutch.
es for private purposes, until now,
there are TO be found all over the
British Isles and on the Continent,
immense preserves over which at GER
tain seasons, the owners give them.
selves up TO the pleasure OF bagging
pheasants In vast numbers.
During one OF bis cross-the. ocean
trips, MIR. W. +. Kendrick, OF Denver,
Colo, became enamoured OF the
beauty, sport and great usefulness OF
pheasants In general, and on bis re.
turn to this country he determined
TO introduce the birds to the Rocky
Mountain section, bringing In q few
trios and experimenting With them
as to their laying qualities, the use
OF the pheasant hen as q mother In
rearing her young; the utility OF the
pheasant as destroyer OF insects;
the iecundity OF the birds, and then
the possibility OF such great FRUITFUL
ness that within q reasonable num-
Der OF years, the canons and fields oil