io6 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



fed, to assist the growth of the feathers. At the age 

 of about eight weeks the birds commence to change 

 once more, this time for their adult plumage. 



When the birds become somewhat independent of 

 the hens and coops, the best method of inducing them 

 to attend to meal times is to feed at the usual hours 

 with military punctuality, for if kept waiting but ten 

 minutes, some of them will stray in search of food 

 elsewhere, perhaps not returning to feed in future. 



As your birds increase in size they will take short 

 flights to try their wings ; still continue to feed with 

 great regularity, and shut all you can within the coops 

 at night, though you may sometimes have to wait till 

 nine o'clock to do this, so loth will they be to return 

 to the hens in fine weather. 



Many of the birds as their wing feathers grow 

 longer will desert the coops and roost out, either on 

 the ground or on low branches of trees, and they will 

 also turn wilder and be more prone to stray every day. 



Directly your pheasants show an inclination to 

 sleep away at night, you should drag the coops day 

 by day and little by little to the verge of the wood 

 that is to be their eventual home, and always to that 

 side, if possible, which faces the sun, being careful 

 the coops and the birds are kept within touch of one 

 another, else the chicks that sleep from home may 

 not find their way back to the hens should they wish 



