REARING PIIEASAXTS AXD PARTRIDGES. 17 



which they were first resigned to their liberty and nature. 

 The following plan is recommended for a pheasantry : — 

 " Have frames seven feet long, and two feet and a half 

 wide, similar in their form to those for cucumbers, and 

 without a bottom : the large end is to be made as a coop 

 for the hen, the bars wide enough for the young phea- 

 sants to run from the hen, to feed in the frame, which is 

 to be covered with a fine-meshed net. If pheasants 

 are kept from which the eggs are to be procured, there 

 should be seven hens to one cock : to forward their 

 laying, feed tbem with white pease; when they drop 

 their eggs stick them in bran, with the small ends 

 downwards, until there are fifteen, which is a sitting 

 for a hen. Get small square boxes wide enough for 

 the hen to turn in, with covers to hasp down, and holes 

 to admit the air ; make a nest of clean white straw ; 

 every morning take the hens oflf and put them under 

 small coops, allowing each a quarter of an hour tu 

 feed and empty themselves ; then replace them on the 

 nest imtil the next morning. 



"When they have sat a fortnight, remember to sprinkle 

 the eggs with milk-warm water every morning just 

 before the hen is put upon the nest, to prevent the 

 eggs being shell-backed ; when hatched let them re- 

 main with the hen about eight hours to dry, then 

 move them into the coop in the frame, uj)on gravel, 

 with the sun on the frame ; feed them upon small ant 

 eggs ; after a week move the frame upon grass in a 

 warm place. There must be a sliding-board to pen 

 the young with the hen when moved ; each frame must 

 have small pans for water, and that for the hen must be 

 fixed to the coop, out of the young birds' reach. Every 

 morning give the young pheasants curd made with new 



