180 GAME PRESEEVERS AND BIRD PRESERVERS. 



it being blown over, and the birds feed without 

 getting chilled. In fine weather it is drawn 

 back three feet, but for the first two or three 

 days close-fitting boards must join these coops, 

 or the newly hatched pheasants mil stray away 

 and be lost. 



Plenty of keepers can rear nearly every 

 bird, but there is generally a mystery kept up 

 about it. If ants' eggs can be procured they 

 are easily reared ; but ladies and children do 

 not attempt it, as they fancy it is necessary to 

 feed them at dayhght. We have constantly 

 proved this to be quite needless. We put 

 down their breakfast the last tiling at night in 

 the empty coop. They find this when they 

 wake hungry soon after dayhght, and are ready 

 for a second meal at eight o'clock. We allow 

 each twenty-five birds an average of six hard- 

 boiled eggs a day, mixing them every week 

 with Indian meal, oatmeal, and boiled rice in 

 larger proportions, and giving ants' eggs after 

 each meal. If milk is plentiftil the eggs will 



