Pheasants Protection. 



57 



Cut this into pieces of a foot long, in the manner shown 

 at Fig. 8, by alternate cuts at 45deg. and 22^deg. Then 

 set to work to form from each a bird after the fashion of 

 Fig. 9. The sharp end (a] is cut off, and a tail of wood 

 fixed on, Jin. thick, 2m. wide, at the place of joining, 

 tapering to Jin. wide at the extremity, and ift. long. 

 A large number of these can be made at very little cost. 

 Of course, there is no need to form the head accurately, 

 as, unless alarmed, the head of the pheasant when asleep 

 is almost concealed in the dorsal feathers, and is per- 





PIG. 8. MANNER OF CUTTING FIR.POLE FOR MAKING MOCK PHEASANTS. 



fectly unnoticeable, but it is best to put some apology for 

 a head, as mock birds likely to be shot at would represent 

 pheasants alarmed by a previous report from the poacher's 

 gun. To fix these up, choose a spot on the tree where 

 the bird cannot be clearly seen end-on only sideways 

 and this holds good of the other kind of mock birds. They 

 can be nailed on by boring holes right 

 through before the birds are formed up, 

 and using very long French nails. These 

 hold the bird firmer. The idea of leaving 

 mock pheasants of this description loose 

 on a kind of pivot is far fetched, and not 

 nearly so satisfactory as nailing tightly on 

 in a good position. 



The next most fruitful cause of loss in pheasant pre- 



FIG. 9. 

 MOCK PHEASANT. 



