FEEDING ADULT BIRDS IN COVERT 



crushed, preferably the latter. Maize contains more carbo- 

 hydrates than oats, but it is deficient in salts ; nevertheless its 

 digestibility is greater than that of oats, but it is totally 

 unsuited for very young birds, owing to its deficiency in 

 mineral salts. 



The following analysis of maize shows the various percent- 

 ages of its component parts : — 



Another advantage of maize is that it is practically of very 

 little use to small birds, so that there will be no waste from 

 this cause. 



The carbo-hydrates are principally starch and saccharine, 

 both of which are heat-producing and fat-forming. The 

 albuminoids, carbo-hydrates and fats are the three principal 

 constituents required for feeding Pheasants, and the best pro- 

 portion is five of carbo-hydrates to one of albuminoids. 



Wheat and barley are both excellent foods. Barley is 

 rich in carbo-hydrates, as it contains about 66 per cent., and 

 has an advantage over maize, as it only contains about half 

 the quantity of fat. When this cereal is cheap, it constitutes 

 a good and economical food for covert feeding, but it is 

 spurious economy to buy cheap barley. Good barley will 

 weigh from 53 to 58 lbs. to the bushel. 



Buck-wheat is another valuable seed, usually costing about 

 22s. per sack of 4 bushels, and Pheasants are very fond 

 of this grain, which contains 35 per cent, of carbo-hydrates, 

 43 per cent, of fibre, 4^ per cent, of albuminoids and 13 per 

 cent, of water. 



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