VI 



THE PHEASANTS 



A LTHOUGH the pheasants were introduced 

 ^~*> and naturalized in England more than eight 

 hundred years ago, there was not a pheasant in the 

 United States prior to the year 1881, excepting, of 

 course, the wild turkey. It was through the efforts of 

 our Consul-General at Shanghai, Judge Denny, of 

 Oregon, that the birds were first introduced into the 

 United States. His first experiment was a failure, but 

 the next year he was successful with the birds shipped 

 to his brother, Mr. John Denny, of Albany, Oregon. 

 Many of the birds survived and were liberated on his 

 farm, near Patterson's Butte. Being protected for a 

 number of years by legislation, they became abundant 

 and the pheasant is now a common game bird on the 

 Pacific Coast. 



Many sportsmen became interested in this bird and 

 it was soon introduced into many of the Eastern States, 

 and protected everywhere for a period of years. A 

 number of pheasant farms and hatcheries were started, 

 and they found it difficult to supply the demand for 

 birds and eggs. In some of the States the propagation 

 of these birds was undertaken by the State game com- 

 missioners. The clubs have liberated pheasants on 

 their preserves, and many individuals throughout 



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