40 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AXD AVI ARIES. 



has been iutroduced into the Eastern States on the Atlantic 

 sea Ijoard. 



The isirliest recorded attempt at iutr(jdiicti(>n was made 

 by Richard liaclie more tlian a century a,n'0. lie imported 

 Ijirds fi'om England and lilierated them on Ids estate in 

 Js'ew Jerscv, but, in spite of every care in fe(>ding aiid ]iro- 

 tecting them^ U(jne survived the ensuing winter. A second 

 attempt, made some years later in the same State, had a 

 p)reciscly siuiilar ending. Subseqniaitly Kobert (Jliver, nf 

 Harewoiid, JJaltimore, turned out, on diffei'cnt estates, a. con- 

 siderable stock bred trnm imjKjrted birds, )jut tlioug-li some 

 of lliese did well foi' a, time thi'V ultitnately disa]i]ieared. 



In spite, liiiwever, of tliese initial I'ailui'es, efforts to 

 acclimatise the ])lieasant ccjntinued to lie made and iinally 

 succeeded, so much so, tliat in recent years breeding has been 

 extensively pursued in the United States, until it has assumed 

 the dimensions uf a new industry, the experiments ranging 

 irom a few pairs to nudertakings in ^vhicli thousa.nds of birds 

 are kept, a,nd tlic united efforts of private imlividuals, associa- 

 tions, and Stati' game (itHciids have led to a very large increase 

 in the stock of pheasants. 



The severity of the winters in some of the States mav 

 account for many of the failures. In others the climate and 

 cijiidituins are imu'o fav(airable, and this would a}>pear to be 

 speciafly the case in Ocegon, where excellent results have 

 been achieved. In ISSI) and 1881 ednsignmL'uts of rinii--iieck 

 pheasants from Sh:ingliai Avere made by the Hun. O. X. I )enny, 

 the U.S..\. consul there. These were libm'ated in Oregon, 

 where their inci'ease has been so remarkably ra]ud that on 

 the opening da,y of the shooting season in 1 S'Jli oO,Ul.)() were 

 re]-)nrted to have l)een Ijagged. It is from the Oregon 

 pheasautries that many other States have obtained their 

 stocks. i\[assachusetts, after encountering many diflieulties, 

 has now a, fair number of birds in its preserves. Similiar 

 elforts were made in Ohio, but, though successful for a 

 time, the impression has gained ground that the climate is 



