68 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



As pheasants are liable to vermin when in con- 

 finement, they will need a small heap of fresh, dry 

 sand, or cinder dust, placed for them on the sunny 

 side of their pens. In this they will squat and dust, 

 and thoroughly cleanse their bodies and plumage from 

 parasites. 



COLLECTING THE EGGS IN THE PENS 



The hen pheasants are fond of dropping their eggs 

 all over the pens. You should endeavour to check 

 this habit to some extent. The sight of the eggs 

 scattered here and there induces the cock birds to 

 peck them from curiosity or amusement, and then, 

 on breaking the shells and tasting the contents, to 

 acquire the baneful habit of egg eating. 



Place under each shelter of boughs, in the corners 

 of the pens, little platforms a foot square, composed 

 of dry twigs and bracken fronds ; beat these rough 

 nests down level with the ground but hollow in their 

 centres, and place in each a couple of imitation eggs, 

 or small hen eggs coloured with coffee to resemble 

 those of pheasants, and hard boiled. 



Remove at once (frequent attention is incumbent 

 on the guardian of an aviary) any eggs strewn about 

 the pens, and rob the nests at midday ; but do not 

 disturb any hens on the nests, as they are probably 

 laying. Replace the eggs you have taken from the 

 open part of the pens with a few imitation ones of 



