PHEASANTRY EGGS VERSUS WILD ONES 



the keeper can obtain a supply of eggs from such a source, 

 he ought with good management to have vastly superior 

 birds to the man who rears exclusively from aviary 

 produced eggs. 



To encourage egg-laying in the coverts is one of the 

 first duties the gamekeeper has to perform, and if he 

 makes artificial nests in suitable places in the coverts, as 

 well as in the hedgerows where the Pheasants are likely 

 to stray, and deposits an artificial Qgg in each, there ought 

 to be no difficulty in persuading the hens to lay their eggs. 

 What may be termed the "natural concealment" of eggs 

 is owing to their colour corresponding closely to that of 

 their surroundings, and a hen Pheasant will, as a rule, select 

 a site for its nest that is well concealed. In some instances 

 she will lay in the nest of a partridge, likewise that of the 

 domestic fowl, but there is one matter that she desires, 

 namely, seclusion for her nest, or to be away from the 

 interruption of the male bird, which, by the way, it may not 

 be out of place to mention, sometimes takes on maternal 

 duties, and will not only sit on and hatch the eggs, but 

 also rear the brood, though such instances are exceptional. 



In relation to this matter the editors of the Gamekeepei' 

 were anxious for the benefit of their readers to have the 

 views of gamekeepers upon the subject, and offered a prize 

 for the best essay, the selected one being as follows ; and 

 it is written by W. D. Fairweather, head-keeper to Sir 

 A. Wilson, Dunning, Perthshire : — 



" Personally, I have not the least doubt that the eggs 

 from penned Pheasants are superior to the eggs from wild 

 ones. If there was a question about it, I would not have 

 penned birds, neither would many outside game-farmers, 

 I am perfectly well aware that many keepers, particularly 



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