In America, 41 



farm, in 1908. In Utah a stock of ring-necks liberated in 

 1895 were reported as doing very well in 1906. In Minnesota 

 an attempt, made in 1905, to introduce pheasants was rendered 

 abortive owing to great mortality amongst the chicks. In 

 Delaware, too, the attempt ended in failure, but Kansas has 

 been more successful, 3,000 ring-necks, turned down in 1906, 

 being reported to have done well. Many have been liberated 

 in Colorado in recent years with results that are not yet 

 accurately known. 



It is possible that in many cases failure may be attributable 

 to a want of experience in the management of the birds, as 

 well as to climatic influences and the prevalence of natural 

 enemies. EngUsh gamekeepers have been employed in some 

 instances, in others American methods are adopted. On the 

 whole, the conditions that prevail in British Columbia and the 

 States of the Pacific Coast appear to be more favourable 

 to their propagation than those found east of the Eocky 

 Mountains. Thus, in Vancouver Island and some of the Gulf 

 Islands pheasants have become so numerous that complaints 

 are said to have been made of the mischief they effect in grain 

 and potato fields ; but the farmers generally speak favourably 

 of them. 



In Oregon, too, they have spread and multipUed so well 

 that complaints are made of their depredations in the grain 

 fields. The reports of the residents to the official inquiries 

 are very interesting. Mr. Tyler, of I'orest Grove, Oregon, 

 writing in January, 1889, states : 



" The females produce fifteen to eighteen eggs in each 

 brood, and hatch them all. . . . The old ones have lots of 

 nerve, and will fight a hawk or anything that comes near 

 them. The cocks will go into a barnyard and whip the best 

 fowls we have, and run things according to their own notion. 

 . . . Their favourite haunts are low grounds near the fields 

 of grain, on which they depredate. . . . The golden 

 pheasants have become numerous. Occasionally one is seen 

 in our vicinity, about ninety miles from where they were 



