THE PKA-FOWr.] 



POULTRY. 



[tIIK J'UEASAKT. 



tliorefore, cannot bo afforded, it is uaclesa to 

 attfinpt to kei'p it. 



The lion commencoa to l:iy in May, luul 

 ccntinucs throughout the outiro auramer. For 

 the table, the birda are in season from February 

 to June. Tlie period of incubation is twenty- 

 eight dara. The chicks, while young, reijuiro 

 careful uianagemeut, and must bo constantly 

 fed. In a short time they become perfectly 

 hardy. At nine months they aro lit for the 

 table. The hen is prolific. 



THE PEAFOWL. 



A peacock, in all tlie pride of his " Argus- 

 eyed tail" spread before the rays of the sun, 

 parading on a green lawn, or from the extremity 

 of a terrace wall, is one of the most beautiful 

 of living objects which can adorn the garden 

 landscape. Of fruit, however, he will be 

 found a devourer, not to be guarded against ; 

 and both him and his mate are not uufrequently 

 the veritable assassins of the young of other 

 fowl. The cock does not attain the full splen- 

 dour of his plumage until ho is three years 

 old : and the hen does not lay until she is of 

 the same age. She lays from live to seven eggs, 

 and sits twenty-nine days. If the first batch 

 of eggs is taken away, she will lay a second ; 

 so that, by having a hen turkey as foster-nurse, 

 two broods in one summer may be obtained. 

 The pea- hen generally chooses a very retired 

 spot, quite out of the way of the peacock, 

 M-hich is often a cruel, uni.iitural father. 



The young of this breed must be tended like 

 Guinea fowl and young turkeys ; and without 

 they are abundantly and regularly fed, they 

 are apt to wander. "When fat, and hung long 

 enough, they make a delicious and enviable 

 roast. They should be larded over with slices 

 of fat bacon; the head and neck, with the 

 feathers on, carefully wrapped in paper, and 

 tucked under the wing, away from the fire ; 

 and, when ready, set up in purple glory, to 

 match the tail adorned with feathers, neatly 

 stuck in at the last moment. 



THE PHEASANT. 



We have already treated of the Pheasant 

 in the division on "The Gun;" but here it is 

 necessary to say a few words upon it, in what 

 may be called its domesticated state. 



To hatch the eggs of this beautiful bird, a 



Haiitaiii hen is the boat. The young oriea 

 Hlu.uld b(.' left with her for twenty-f(»ur houra 

 after being hatched, without being disturbed ; 

 and then they ahould bo fed every hour with 

 hard-boiled eggs, bread and milk, bread crumbs, 

 young nettles, or lettuces, chup|)ed fine, and 

 eggs from ants' nests. They Hhuuld bo kept 

 in a dry, warm place, and be allowed plenty of 

 lino soft sand. A piece of meat may bo put 

 in a convenient spot, and kejit there till it bo- 

 eoiuea lly-blown, when tho maggots, thereby 

 generated, should be given them every day. 

 When moulting, supply them with a little 

 boiled rice. The vessels in which they aro fed 

 must be kept quite clean; and as they aro sub- 

 ject to various diseases, alum-curd, made by 

 boiling new milk with a lump of alum, until 

 it is of the consistence of custard, may bo 

 given them. If vent-bound, clip ofl' the vent 

 feathers carefully, and apply some sweet oil to 

 the part. 



Although we havo recommended a Bantam 

 hen for a sitter, there are many circumstances 

 under which it may be found necessary 

 to hatch and rear young pheasants by means 

 of common hens. In Stonehenge's Manual 

 of British Sural Sports, the author says — 

 " The old hen of each hive < :• nide is 

 always anxious, if alive, to retain her old nest, 

 and to drive the young hens away from her 

 neighbourhood. If the keeper is not on his 

 guard, the hens stray far oflf his beat; but 

 if watchful, he can easily detect the nest 

 of almost every pheasant. If the eggs are 

 likely to be taken, he may then, and then 

 only, as soon as the hen has laid her full 

 number, remove them." Hen pheasants will 

 spread themselves abroad, and no art will keep 

 them closer together than they like ; but the 

 above plan may save a great many 'ggs. 

 There are many situations in which nests 

 should be disturbed, if found early enough, or 

 the eggs taken if found late : for instance, in 

 situations likely to be flooded ; in ditches or 

 hollow water-ways, or in clover-fields or 

 vetches which will be mowed over before tho 

 time of hatching." 



As the hen pheasant never rears her full 

 number of chicks, five or six eggs should be 

 removed from every nest which is found. A 

 moderate-sized hen will cover thirteen egga. 

 She should be set in a box without a bottom, 



S71 



