Tf)e Chinese Pheasant 



By Hon. S. H. GREENE, of Portland, Oregon. 



YOUR kind favor requesting information regarding the Mongolian, or Ring- 

 necked pheasant duly received, and I hasten to answer to the best 

 of my ability. 

 The Ring-neck pheasant is certainly one of the hardiest and handsomest game 

 birds of the earth. A cock in full plumage would make an Oregon rainbow turn 

 green with envy. The hen, while smaller and not so gaudily dressed, is equally wary, 

 hardy, active and diligent, as is evidenced by her domestic exhibits — three broods 

 a year, averaging at least a dozen chicks each (Oregon climate). When the hen 

 brings her brood off, the cock generally takes charge of the younglings, while Mrs. 

 Ring-neck starts right in on another brood. The eggs can be hatched under the 

 domestic hen, but the Ring-neck will breed in confinement. The Mongolian or Ring- 

 necked pheasant, as its name would indicate, is a native of China. Here in Oregon 

 it is always spoken of as the China pheasant. There are, I believe, thirteen varieties 

 of pheasants in China. In fact, China is known as the home of the pheasant. On 

 the Island of Formosa (recently Japanned) is found the Swinnos ; in the Ningpo district, 

 the Elliot and Darwin ; in Tschitzuen, the Reebes and Amherst. These varieties took 

 their names from the foreigners discovering them. Then there are the varieties in- 

 troduced into this country by Hon. O. N. Denny while he was United States Consul- 

 General at Shanghai, and others. Something like fifteen years ago Judge Denny sent 

 to this country, besides the Ring-necked, the green or Japanese, the copper or Schol- 

 meringu, the Tragopan, the Silver, and the Golden. He sent about fifty pairs of the 

 various kinds mentioned, none of which cost him less than eight dollars per pair. At 

 that time the old Multnomah Rod and Gun Club was in existence, and it proceeded to 

 take charge of the birds. The pheasants were placed on Protection Island over in Puget 

 Sound, and a man was hired to take care of them. The club afterwards broke up in 

 debt to the man in charge of the pheasants, and he, in order to get even, leased the 

 right to shoot the birds to certain San Francisco and other parties. Oregon never got 

 the benefit of that first lot of pheasants, but I am informed that the birds thrived and 

 are now very numerous on the island. If the birds had gone into the hands of the 

 Oregon farmers, instead of the club's, we would have plenty of all these varieties now. 

 But Judge Denny was not disheartened, and generously sent us another invoice, of 

 Rin°--necks only. To-day Oregon, west of the Cascade Range, is full of them, and 

 they are here to stay. They are good breeders, very hardy, and they never " tree." 

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