CATCHING BIRDS IN PENS. 87 



attention must be paid to any minute detail in construction to 

 ensure the health and contentedness of the inmates. When 

 it is possible, the pens or runs should be placed where there 

 are some low-growing- shrubs, or even currant or gooseberry 

 bushes, as they afford good sheltering places, and it is quite 

 possible that the hens will make their laying nests at the 

 roots of some of them, which will be a benefit to the birds." 



When the birds are left full winged in wire aviaries, and 

 ai-e wild, it Avill be found very advantageous to have a cord 

 netting stretched some inches below the wire top, as 

 otherwise the birds are very apt to injure themselves severely 

 when they dash upwards on being alarmed. When it is 

 required to handle the pheasants, precautions must be 

 employed that are not needful in the case of fowls, for their 

 extreme timidity causes them to struggle so wildly as often to 

 denude themselves of a great portion of their plumage, or 

 even to break or dislocate their limbs. They are best caught 

 by the aid of a large landing-net, with which they can be 

 secured when di-ivea into au angle, formed by setting a large 

 hurdle against the side or in the corner of the pen. Mr. 

 Baily, in his practical little treatise, writes : — " The best 

 way of catching them is with a net made of hazel rod, seven 

 or eight feet long, forked at top. The fork is bent round, 

 or rather oval shaped, forming a hoop long enough to take 

 in the bird without injuring its plumage. It is then covered 

 with netting loose enough to allow of its being placed on 

 the bird without pressing it down to injure it, and tight 

 enough to prevent it from turning round in the net to the 

 detriment of its plumage. Where many bii'ds have to be 

 caught, it is expedited by the adoption of an expedient I will 

 describe ; and the plan is good, because it is always bad for 

 the birds to be driven about, which they must be before they 

 can be caught, if they are in a large pen. An extra hurdle 

 should be made, to which a door should be joined on hinges. 

 It should be three feet long. This should be placed by the 

 side of one of those forming the pen, and the door being 



