228 TURKEYS, ORNAMENTAL POULTRY, AND WATER FOWL. 



Feeding will be as before mentioned, taking, of course, 

 equal pains to keep the water rigidly clear. Many large 

 breeders hang up pieces of meat to putrefy, in order to procure 

 the peculiar white worms, called " gentles," which are collected 

 in a tin or zinc pan placed underneath ; but such should be 

 sparingly used, as the young poults often refuse plain food 

 after. Ants' eggs are much better. 



When the breeding season is over, the old birds, and the 

 young also when well grown, are most conveniently kept 

 fifty or sixty together, in pens fifty feet square ; being suffered 

 to remain there until wanted, or till the breeding pens are 

 made up for next year. 



On this system, with good management, eighty per cent. 

 of the eggs laid may be brought to the gun, and the natural 

 produce thus more than doubled. 



Of the different varieties, the Common Pheasant is most 

 delicate, and is rather wild. The plumage is too well known 

 to need any description, especially as the breed is not so well 

 adapted for the mere amateur as the beautiful Chinese or 

 ring-necked breeds, which are daily becoming more common, 

 and are hardier and easier to rear. 



The Golden Pheasant cock is also a magnificent bird. 

 The head bears a crest of beautiful amber-coloured feathers. 

 The back of the head and neck is of a beautiful orange red, 

 passing low down the breast into a deep scarlet, which is the 

 colour of all the under parts. The neck feathers are arranged 

 like plate armour, and are often erected by the bird. The 

 back is a deep gold colour, the tail covert feathers being laced 

 with crimson ; tail-feathers brown mottled with black. The 

 hen is of a more sober tint, being of a general brown colour 

 with dark markings. 



This variety is very wild and easily startled, but is, 

 nevertheless, more easily reared than the Common Pheasant, 

 and would p-^bably become more domesticated with per- 



