PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



by the empty shells in the nest. A peculiarity in connection 

 with sitting Pheasants is, that when a nest containing eggs 

 becomes known to several hens, they will all probably sit 

 on it at once. The human egg-stealer, crows, jays, magpies, 

 rats, together with various other vermin, both winged and 

 ground, as well as late frosts, are accountable for the de- 

 struction of a large proportion of wild Pheasants' eggs, some 

 of which enemies can, to a large extent, be controlled by the 

 keeper and his men. Frost, wet, and other adverse climatic 

 conditions are quite beyond the control of the keeper. 



In the accompanying illustration there is depicted two 

 keepers in search of eggs, and it will be observed what close 

 scrutiny is necessary for the detection of the nests. When 

 nests are discovered in exposed situations, a keeper can by 

 art very often assist in the concealment of such a nest, thus 

 affording it the necessary degree of protection. 



Labourers and Game Eggs 



On many estates it is necessary to guard against not 

 only the stealing of eggs by those whose purpose is to sell 

 them, but also the thieves whose only object for securing 

 the eggs of game is to eat them. The last-mentioned 

 marauders are usually of the labouring class, for whom 

 the keepers keep a constant watch, very often reverting to 

 the offer of a pecuniary reward, in order to induce the 

 labourers to refrain from pillaging the nests of the game ; 

 but there is the risk in this precaution of the labourers 

 searching for nests, in which case much harm may be the 

 result, and a man caught at this practice should be dealt 

 with by the law. A nest is sometimes discovered when 

 grass is being mown, or disturbed by a flock of sheep grazing 



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