64 Aviary Pheasants. 



fixed to the posts, and removed at the end of the 

 season ; the strips stand upright, and must be, say, 

 2in. wide, lin. thick, and lin. apart. Many breeders 

 continue the wire quite into the ground, protecting 

 the outside with gorse and brambles ; but this is hardly 

 as safe from foxes, dogs, &c., as boards. The size 

 of the pens is, in many cases, only i2ft. by I2ft. ; this 

 is scarcely large enough they certainly ought not to 

 be less than I4ft. square, and if larger, so much the 

 better. It was purposely said that the posts are to 

 be 4ft. or 5ft. out of the ground, because it is a debated 

 point whether there is any advantage, when they are 

 going to be wired at the tops, in having them too high. 

 The birds are more likely to get impetus in flying in a 

 high place, and to kill themselves by striking the head. 

 They will require but little shelter. Place a pole or 

 two across the pen, supported on -two forks, and against 

 this lean faggots sloping both ways ; it is a great 

 advantage if you can make some slope to the sun, 

 for the birds to dust and bask under. It is presumed 

 this pen will be wired over, with a support or two in 

 it to carry the netting. You can do this in small pens 

 by nailing cross-pieces on a pole like the points of a 

 weathercock. In this pen, if closed at top, put a cock 

 and five or six hens ; perhaps the former is the better 

 number. 



Another system is to inclose a far larger space, 

 according to situation, &c., leaving it open on the top, 

 and placing a number of hens in it with cut wings. 

 Some persons pinion the hens, but the disadvantage 



