10 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



plicated arrangement, its primeval simplicity being per- 

 haps only equalled by that of the peewit, any suitable 

 circular depression being made use of, either in the 

 open ground, in a hedge, long grass, or clover, any- 

 where, in fact ; but preferably, if possible, the old hen 

 pheasant selects a hedge or bank as near as possible 

 to the turnpike road, or any convenient footpath, 

 where acquisitive men, and inquisitive boys, will have 

 as little difficulty as possible in discovering her where- 

 abouts, hence the necessity for searching an estate 

 well for wild eggs, more especially all the likely 

 places in the vicinity of the foot-paths. A few leaves 

 or dry wisps of grass form the only lining with which 

 the hen pheasant considers it necessary to decorate 

 her nest, or " nide," as the technical term runs, and 

 in this commonplace receptacle she will sometimes 

 deposit as many as eighteen or twenty eggs, it being 

 also a common habit for two or more hen pheasants 

 to form a limited company, without liability as regards 

 any intention of taking any thought in the future for 

 the welfare of their progeny, and make use of the 

 same nest, and very often indeed that of the partridge 

 is pressed into the service as secretary, to save trouble, 

 I suppose. 



Unfortunately, also, pheasants are very fond of 

 nesting in long clover and uncut hay, the march 

 of science, in the shape of mowing machines, being 

 very frequently nowadays a source of great danger to 

 the game preserver. These diabolical inventions cut 



