186 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



but ia beauty, hardihood, and table qualities they leave 

 nothing to be desired. The hens, however, are difficult to 

 distinguish from those of the common species,, but the 

 variation in the feather markings between the cross-bred 

 Mongolian and ordinary hen pheasants was the subject of two 

 interesting communications by Dr. H. Hammond Smith which 

 appeared (with illustrations) in the Field of February 6 and 

 March 6, 1909. 



The directions published by the Massachusetts Game 

 Commission as to rearing the supposed Mongolian, but really 

 Chinese Ring-necked pheasant, successfully on the maggots 

 of the blue-bottle, or blow-fly, where ants' eggs cannot be 

 obtained, are so important that although they were issued in 

 error as to the species of pheasant, I think they are well 

 worth reproduction, and therefore insert the folio wing- 

 extract from the report : 



" The arrangement for raising maggots is simple and easily 

 constructed. A small house 6ft. by 8ft. and 6ft. high was 

 framed and covered with matched boards. Four windows 

 were cut in it, but, instead of glass, they were covered on the 

 outside with in. mesh wire cloth, and solid shutters hinged 

 on the outside. A ventilator Sin. square and 12ft. high was 

 attached to the roof. By opening the door and windows the 

 house was sufficiently ventilated in a short time to do what 

 work was necessary inside. Across one side, near the top, 

 and about lOin. from the boarding, a joist was fastened, 

 thickly studded with small meat hooks ; 20in. below this 

 were placed hopper-shaped boxes, 18in. square at the top, 

 12in. at bottom, and 7in. deep, the bottom covered with 

 jin. mesh wire cloth. Below these were arranged tight 

 drawers 18in. square and 4in. deep, around the tops of which 

 were nailed strips of tin projecting inward about fin. to 

 prevent the maggots crawling out. 



" After many experiments it was found that sheep plucks 

 were the cheapest and most available material for the purpose, 

 thirty -six plucks a week producing enough food for about 



