The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-04
Pheasants for the Farm.

ringneck and the English varieties,
are the most valuable insectvorous
birds, as we'll as the most attractive
and eagerly sought game birds Of all
the species that can be reared in cap
tivity or in a semidomestic way and
kept in the district in which they are
propagated The great majority of
the insectivorous birds are migratory,
while the pheasant, especially the va
rieties named, becomes attached to a
locality and will breed and remain
there as long as it is protected and
can secure food.
The pheasant is naturally an insec-
tivorous bird, and where insect food
is obtainable 1t will eat comparatively
little else. The variety of the insect
food of the pheasant is larger than
that of any other bird, so far as is
known. Investigation shows that over
1SO species of insects and earthworms
are eaten by the pheasant, and doubt
less many more will he found on its
menu.
In addition to this it is fond of
small rodents, such as field mice,
young gophers and small snakes. In
England pheasants have been found
choked to death in the attempt to
swallow worms larger or longer than
they could manage, and several pheas-
ants have been found dead, checked
by small rodents. Fred Barnett, su-
perintendent of the pheasantries at
City Park, Denver. says that pheas-
ant hen will catch and destroy a
mouse as quickly as a cock pheasant
or cat.
Among the insects destroyed by the
pheasant are included smelling bugs
that most insectivorous birds will not
touch. Prominent among the pests
destroyed by the pheasant are the
Colorado potato beetle, the squash
bug. the cucumber beetle, the bean
leaf beetle, tomato worms, cut worms
and the millers which deposit the eggs
Of the wire worms. The pheasant also
digs for and eats the wire worms. an
1t does all ground worms and bugs,
and practically all kinds of ground
beetles. Most birds avoid the potato
bugs on account Of their obnoxious
odor.
Southern people are importing the
pheasant to eat the cotton boil weevil
ar1 it's larvae, and it is reported that
one pheasant will eat as many of these
pests as several quails. Many Of the
insects that are injurious to the corn
crop are destroyed by the pheasant,
and the pheasant will not attack the
grain or ear of the corn until late in
the season after insect food is scarce.
1t is said that the chinch bug, which
destroys 500, 900, 900 worth Of wheat
a year. is hunted by the pheasant both
summer and winter.
One difference between the pheas-
ant and the ordinary fowl in eating
insects is that the pheasant is contin-
ually hunting for the eggs and larvae
of insects. In the grain fields and
meadows the insect eggs are usually
laid on the under side of the leaves Of
the plants. The pheasant as it passes
through the growing grain keeps it's
head near the ground and turns one
eye up and the other down so it
sees the larva and eggs on the under
side of the leaf.
1t takes hold Of the leaf with it's
plant of the eggs and larvae without
injuring the leaf. Thus at one stroke
it destroys four or five or possibly
100 embryo insects and in single
meal often destroys many thousands
of insects in the egg and larval form.
The pheasant destroys the pests be-
fore they do any damage to the farm
er's crops, the turkey and common
poultry afterward.
Pheasants are fond of gra sshopper
eggs and especially fond of those of
the locust, which deposits eggs in the
earth in dry places. Pheasants in cap
tivity have been known to dig up light
ground where there are many larvae
70 n 6onth of four ipobac
The pheasant chooses the danGe-
lion and the bulbs of buttercups as
two Of it's greatest vegetable delica-
cies. 1t eats comparatively few buds
from bushes and trees, excepting in
severe winters. In this way it is diff
fcrcnt from the grouse. OF the grass
cs it has a liking for white and red
clover, alfalfa and red and yellow
N,-hc nj If