July

Mark Glover’s view that gamebird releasing causes environmental carnage, “Slaughter of UK’s imported gamebirds carries a heavy price, 22 July”, is not supported by the scientific evidence.

“Pheasants are useless mothers”; how often I have heard those word, but are they true? This view certainly has a long history, and way back in 1895 the Rev H. A. Macpherson said they are “careless, clumsy mothers” in the fur, feather and fin volume on Pheasants.