Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-04-17
Shepherdow Jefferson County, West Virginia Thursday April H. 1913
To Stock West Virginia With Game.

To Stock West Virginia With Game.
State Game and Fish Warden J. A.
Viquesney, of Belington, is preparing to
carry into effect the plan providing for the
propagation OF fish, game and birds in
West Virginia, along the lines laid down
by the Legislature at the recent session,
when an appropriation OF $4,000 was
made for the purpose. The game war
den has already arranged for the purchase
of a large number fthe celebrated Chinese
ringnecked pheasants. together with hun
dreds of dozens OF their eggs, to be ex-
perimented with throughout the State re-
lating TO propagation. The Chinese ring
neck, comparatively new TO West Virginia,
will be experimental with iu three ways,
by turning many of the birds, both male
and female; loose in sections deemed best
suited TO propagation, by retaining in cap
tivity anumber for breeding purposes and
by placing the eggs that will be secured
under ordinary setting hens and permit
ting the brood to run wild at will.
This game bird, practically new to
West Virginia, differs materially from the
native pheasant, or ruffed grouse, found
chiefly in the mountainous sections, IN
that it is bird of beautiful plumage.
The tail OF the male bird is very long, often
two or three feet, and the color OF both
male and female is brilliant, showing me-
tallic lustre. In all there are about 4O
species of the pheasant family, related
closely to the partridge. Among their
colors are gold, copper, scarlet, green and
blue. They mostly are native OF Asia and
live in dense woods. The so-called
English pheasant was naturalized in Great
Britain before the Norman conquest, and
is bred in the game preserves OF Europe.
1t has been introduced into the United
States some years since. The copper
pheasants of Japan and the rlnged-neck
pheasants OF China have found to do well
in this country. The pheasant OF China,
Tibet, India and the Malay Archipelago
often are gorgeous. The ringnecked
pheasant of Japan and Tibet is striking,
while the silver pheasant is Silvery white
above, penciled with black. The rutted
grouse of North America, incorrectly call
ed pheasant in the north, is called part
ridge in the south. The only native rep
resentative of the pheasant is said to be
the wild turkey, once so generally abun-
dant in the United States, but growing
scarcer each year. The ring-necked
pheasant is very profitable, the hens pro-
duclng about 70 eggs each season. The
birds are contented in any woods large
enough to permit of extended flying and
are not OF the migratory nature. When
the eggs are hatched out under an ordl-
nary hen the young brood often becomes
very tame, feeding with the chickens and
remaining with the flock until seized by
the zeal, of the wild"
When the 1913 Legislature appropri-
ated SIS 900 for the propagation OF game
and fish in the State, portion OF which
is also devoted to conservation OF the
forests and protection against forest fires,
few knew that the sum was already pro-
vided and was lying idle in a fish, game
and forest fund. However, such is the
case, as during the two years that hunters
were required TO pay license, fund
aggregating SAC, 600 was accumulated in
the State treasury, which remains prac-
aticIly intact. From that fund the SIS, 600
appropriation, which is to cover period
of two years and nine months, will be
taken.
Warden ViquesneY expects to use the
fund so that West Virginia will share in
the national fund provided for the care of
the forests under the Weekly law. Under
the Weekly law fund is set aside each
year by the national government, which
when States colaborate with the govern
ment in protecting forests from fire and
other injury, to the extent OF not less
than $500, like amount is contributed by
the government. West Virginia has set
aside the sum OF 5000 for this purpose,
which with the governments 5000 will
make total of $l0,0 600 for the conserva-
ton OF forests in the Mountain State.