BREEDING OF GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22960, 11 February 1938, Page 14

BREEDING OF GAME

Sir, —Your recently published news of the excellent breeding season of pheasants at Ngongotaha is very good. I was privileged to inspect this gaino I farm and I have never seen healthier birds, or a better conducted game farni. One criticism I would submit is, the manager's unappreciation of > the melanistic bird, which I think is the most suitable bird for this country, where std'inina, fecuridity and goon foraging are essential to establish birds. It is a dominant type, survival of the fittest, and better able to establish itself than the Old English, Chinese and "Mongolian mixtures. The only reasons for its unpopularity 'in England aro that it is a wanderer, demonstrating its foraging work and as a driven bird it is a low flyer. However, all this is beside the point of my letter. This fine lot of young pheasants will shortly be turned out. Surely they arc worthy of being given a sporting chance to survive and perpetuate the breed. .1 understand hand-reared birds in this country are shot the same season that they aro turned out. This is of coulee done in other countries, but the conditions aro entirely different. They are driven, not walked up, and are going all out when shot at and they are not turned out to establish a breed of wild birds. These tame hand-reared birds are not given a sporting chance if walked, or practically kicked up. It is a sorry business to shoot them the season they are put out. Another point is turning out pheasants in country which poisoned for rabbits. It seems a horrid waste of splendid material, but it is done. I believe in Australia phosphorised pollard is put just under the half-turned sod and rabbits' have to seratcli it out. This procedure "might help the pheasants and certainly pf°" tects the bait from deterioration, r in " ally, though good authorities disagree with me, in my opinion there is too much made of the depredations of vermin. It is extradordinary how game Avill increase in spite of vermin. In" 1 * ing the war, when there was practically no vermin destruction in England, wi <• pheasants a good deal more than he c their own. In Xnupo township, wlier there aro at least two cats to the qnar ter acre section there are more quail pe aero than in the surrounding country., Finally, may 1 suggest as ail expel ment, turn out 100 birds: —(1) suitable and tinpoisoned area; a Government ranger; (3) give t strict protection for one J"® 8 * liberation. Taupo.