PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



instance, it is a mistake to feed one morning at six and 

 the next at seven. Any delay in feeding will have a 

 tendency to cultivate the propensity to stray. Punctuality 

 and regularity should be strictly adhered to. If food is 

 not there birds will not wait but make off in search of 

 it, and that food may be found in a neighbouring shoot. 

 At this time of year, for preference, the morning feed 

 may consist of a mixture of maize, wheat, dari, and a 

 little hemp-seed, as soon as the birds come down from 

 roost. Feed in the evening about an hour before roosting- 

 time on soft food of an appetising nature, thus giving 

 them an inducement to put in an appearance and roost 

 at home. Harvest rakings stacked on the feed-places 

 provide amusement, and do much in the way of keeping 

 birds from straying. Many so-called non-straying mixtures 

 and such-like nostrums advertised as a means of preventing 

 roaming are best left alone. 



" Another means sometimes employed to prevent Pheasants 

 straying is corn steeped in a strong decoction of quassia 

 and thrown down in any place where the birds are given 

 to stray. This is of little use. Rely wholly on suitable and 

 liberal feeding, with constant attention to judicious driving- 

 in. A keeper will need to be particularly active as regards 

 driving-in during a fog, for at no time do Pheasants seem 

 so persistent in breaking out as under the cover of a dense 

 fog. At such time a good steady old retriever will render 

 valuable aid in detecting birds that the keeper would be 

 unable to see. 



" Precautions should be taken to drive birds home with- 

 out forcing them to flight in a thick fog, as once on the 

 wing they are lacking in all knowledge of locality, and 

 there is no knowing where they will finally alight." 



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