9 G-F a ak = ° 
O20 PHEASANT FARMING oA of0 
° ————= — — ° 
How little the efforts of Judge Denny to introduce the Chinese 
pheasant were appreciated, and how California missed the oppor- 
tunity of being stocked with this grandest of all game birds is told 
by Mr. Fred Lockley in a recent newspaper interview with Mrs. 
Denny, who is at this time a resident of Portland, Oregon. 
‘When we returned from China,’ said Mrs. 
Denny, ‘‘we brought with us ninety more pheasants, 
embracing several additional varieties, including the 
Golden, Silver and Copper pheasants, as well as the 
Chefoo quail. These cost us from five to nine dollars 
a pair. Judge Denny planned to distribute them 
throughout the western part of the State under his 
own supervision. Unfortunately, he went to Mexico 
on business and turned the birds over to the Portland 
Rod and Gun Club, believing that they would have 
the greatest interest in their care, preservation and 
distribution throughout the State. The Rod and Gun 
Club sent them to Protection Island, hiring the owner 
of the island to care for the birds and agreeing to pay 
him $25 a month to see that they were properly fed 
and protected from pot-hunters. Shortly after this, 
one of the officials of the Rod and Gun Club em- 
bezzled the funds of the club, amounting to about 
$1,500, and this resulted in the disbandment of the 
club. The club failed to make any payment to the 
owner of the island, who, in consequence, claimed the 
birds. A few of the birds were sold to individuals, but 
none of them were liberated. And so my husband’s 
public-spirited, patriotic efforts toward the introduc- 
tion of these additional varieties of game birds to 
Oregon came to naught. 
“Before returning to the United States, my husband 
communicated with Mr. Redding of San Francisco, ask- 
ing him if he would like to have a shipment of game 
birds sent to California. Mr. Redding was very en- 
thusiastic and made all arrangements to take care of 
them on their arrival. He arranged with the Spring 
Valley Water Company of California, who were also in 
sympathy with the movement, and who arranged to 
have the birds turned out upon their grounds. They 
sowed buckwheat seed in different places and promised 
that every facility for the feeding and comfort of the 
birds would be attended to. Between eighty and 
ninety birds were shipped, extreme care being taken 
so that they would reach San Francisco in good con- 
dition. The ship arrived at the wharf as the funeral 
procession of Mr. Redding was taking place. He Had 
died suddenly and no arrangements had been made to 
receive the birds. In fact, no one knew anything about 
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