534 



Practical Game Preserving. 



By this means every piece can be fastened by nails having 

 a hold on different sides at right angles to one another, 

 and it is quite impossible to open such a box without 

 entirely destroying it, more especially if it be coopered 

 round at each end with hoop-iron. One of this kind, 

 made of fin. deal, of gin. width, and ift. length, will hold 

 four grouse, including the necessary packing. Of course, 

 larger ones can be made to hold more birds at the same 

 rate. If the boxes have to be used several times over, it is 

 necessary that they should be strongly made, and have a 

 hinged lid closed by a padlock. In addition, they should 

 have a string or wire stretched right round in a groove 



SIDE. 



cut for the purpose, and the ends sealed down into a centre- 

 bit hole. They should have large holes bored on all sides, 

 so as to admit air freely. 



It is, however, rather the mode in which the game is 

 packed than the kind of box that regulates the condition 

 in which it arrives. Every bird should be quite free of 

 moisture and be cold ; each should have a mixture of 

 nine parts powdered charcoal and one part black pepper 

 dusted in, especially under the wings, beneath the legs, 

 round the vent, and into the beak, as well as on any 

 gunshot wounds. The best packing we know of is spruce 

 fir broken small. It keeps the birds sweet, and does not 



