228 PHEASANTS 



wives. Nor was his confidence misplaced, 

 for the twenty-one hens averaged nearly 

 twenty fertile eggs a piece. 



Once the aviaries or pens are erected, 

 there still remains the question of when 

 they should be filled. Here again we 

 are confronted by marked differences of 

 opinion among keepers ; some would have 

 all the hens they require taken up by the 

 middle of December, while others would 

 not like to have a bird in the aviary for 

 nearly two months later. 



To make a note of these differences 

 is enough, to attempt discrimination 

 between their respective merits unneces- 

 sary, for each man works along the lines 

 laid down by his own experience, and so 

 long as he reaches the desired end, the 

 road he travels by matters little, nor is 

 any practical rearer likely to attach much 

 importance to the casual criticisms of the 

 writer on sport. If this book chances to 

 fall into his hands, he may read these 

 pages without fear of having hard and 

 fast rules hurled at his head, for we 



