TREATING OF THE PHEASANT AND ITS EGG. 11 



in a circle, and continually emit a rattle and noisy 

 shake which frightens the game, frequently causing it 

 to squat, and so lose its now witless head. Whilst the 

 iron mower is in possession of the ground, cutting 

 either hay or corn, let the head keeper remember to 

 be in constant attendance with one or two of his 

 myrmidons, and let them with sticks continually brush 

 out the continually diminishing circle of uncut stuff 

 and so save from decapitation his pheasants, par- 

 tridges, and leverets. 



The hatching season of the wild pheasant extends 

 from the beginning of May until July. As soon as the 

 chicks are from twelve to twenty-four hours old the 

 old mother leads them forth, and carries out what she 

 considers to be the rearing process, which very fre- 

 quently consists of leaving half her brood behind her 

 to drown in an open ditch. If not much disturbed, 

 the hen pheasant contents herself for some time with 

 peregrinations in the neighbourhood of the hatching 

 place, but if there is any wet corn to be found handy, 

 into that will she plunge, quite forgetful of the tender 

 larynxes of her callow brood, yet if often disturbed the 

 family will betake itself to the nearest wood or covert, 

 emerging from thence only at feeding time, until 

 September, when the youngsters are generally full 

 grown. They moult their fledgling suits, and appear 

 in full dress to take their part in the orgies of 

 October. 



