130 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



The game-preserver of to-day is so happily situated 

 that he need not have recourse to any dubious source for 

 a supply of pheasants or of pheasants' eggs wherewith 

 to improve and increase the stock of birds upon his 

 sporting property. There are at the present time 

 many game-farmers anxious and ready to supply his 

 needs. He can have in due season, and almost at a 

 moment's notice, strong young hen or cock pheasants, 

 full-winged, wild-bred, and freshly-caught-up birds for 

 stock purposes. In the matter of pheasants' eggs there 

 is also a practically unlimited supply and wide range 

 of choice. If it is desired to strictly adhere to any 

 particular species, the eggs from pure dark-necked the 

 so-called " old English " or from ring-necked pheasants 

 can now be had in almost any numbers. But the choice 

 as to variety by no means stops here, for Reeves', Versi- 

 colour, Amherst, Elliot's, Mongolian, and fancy sorts 

 such as Golden pheasants, birds or eggs, are now easily 

 procurable. 



I have before me as I write the price-list of the 

 pheasants' eggs offered by one well-known game-farm. 

 Herein the eggs from either the ring-necked or the 

 dark-necked kind are offered at the following rates : 



Price per 100 

 s. d. 



Before April 20 . . . .476 



From April 2 1 to May 2 . . . .400 



From May 3 to May 12 . . . . 3 15 o 



From May 13 to May 20 . . . 3 10 o 



From May 21 to May 26 . . . .300 



From May 27 to May 31 . . . .276 



June eggs . . . . . . i 10 o 



All are guaranteed to be freshly gathered daily from 

 the pens, and there is the further and all-important 

 guarantee accompanying these eggs that at least 85 per 



