124: FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



CHAPTER VI. 



ON THE REARING OF PHEASANTS BY HAND. 



Mistakes of Keepers — Best Method to Adopt — A Mystery cleared 

 lip — Constant Watchful Attention requisite — Food and 

 Diseases — Minute Insect Food on the Under Side of Oak 

 Leaves — Errors of Learned Men — Protective Laws — Farmers 

 and Ptabbits — Mistakes of Professors — The Wood Duck. 



As it lias now loecome one of the necessities of 

 the day to provide sufficient sport for the present 

 generation, each gunner armed with three double 

 breech-loaders, and accompanied by no dog, 

 some further remarks on this artificial practice 

 will not be out of place. Perhaps there is no 

 phase of game-preserving wherein so many lords 

 and masters are deceived by their servants as in 

 the asserted number of young birds reared at the 

 coops. The number of young birds hatched out 

 under each barn-door hen or bantam no doubt 

 can be easily ascertained, but then what very 

 often follows ? 



