302 PHEASANTS 



Earl of Rutland at Bel voir, in which the 

 following passage occurs : — 



April 3, 1631. 



The time is almost past for furnishing you with 

 a store of duck's eggs, but if I have notice by this 

 bearer of how many more you want than he 

 brings, I will do the best I can. 



I shall hope another year to help you with so 

 many duck's eggs, that you may breed fowl to 

 maintain your sport, and with as many quick 

 wild duck as will serve your hawks. I send you 

 by the bearer 200 duck's eggs. 



The Earl, however, did not live to 

 receive any further consignments of eggs, 

 dying in the spring of the following year. 



It would serve no useful purpose to 

 give here any detailed account of the 

 rearing of ducks ; the game food manu- 

 facturers publish pamphlets in which 

 all that is needful may be found, and 

 supply them gratis to any in search of 

 information. The duck is certainly an 

 easier bird to rear than the pheasant, far 

 less subject to disease or dependent on 

 the weather, and under good management 



