SELECTING AND MANAGING THE BREEDING BIRDS. V'^ 



feeding themselves entirely, except in very severe 

 droughts, when they will get daily 1 lb. of mealies 

 and some prickly pear leaves cut up. 



In this manner they cost hardly anything to keep, 

 they breed freely, keep healthy, sit steadily, and have 

 nearly every egg fertile. The only objection is the 

 amount of ground required — which is not often of much 

 consideration in Africa — and the cost of fencing; but 

 this is made up immeasurably by the after-saving. 



Others, again, will have them in tiny camps down 

 to forty yards square ; of course, then they must be 

 entirely artificially fed, and their breeding will not be 

 so certain, even supposing that they remain in perfect 

 health, which we very much doubt. 



The breeding birds need not have water at all if 

 the camps are large and the herbage at all succulent, 

 such as the Karoo veldt. We know many breeding birds 

 that have not had water for years, and of those that 

 have access to water some do not avail themselves of it ; 

 but we prefer growing birds to have free access to 

 water. 



If the camps are large, they do very well abutting on 

 to each other, even if there is only a w^ire fence dividing- 

 them ; as, when once the cocks get used to each other 

 they scarcely ever bother to fight, they get to know 

 which is master, and the conquered one keeps away 

 h2 



