22 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



thus prevent the lid being shattered, or the hinges 

 torn off by a sudden jerk. A few holes should be 

 bored in the front to admit air to the inmate, and the 

 lid should project well over the forepart to shoot off 

 the wet. If done some little time before required for 

 use, a rough outside coat of coal tar varnish, or one of 

 the many waterproof paints so much in vogue, will 

 add to their durability, and the inside should be well 

 whitened over with boiling lime wash, penetrating 

 into every nook and cranny, to destroy and harry the 

 vermin which will collect. The inside cleansing 

 should be repeated each time that a hen hatches ofl> 

 before her successor is appointed. 



If you do not mark your eggs as recommended, it is 

 a very good plan to nail on each hatching box a card 

 which can afterwards be removed and nailed to the 

 coop. This card can state the number of eggs set> 

 date of setting, name of game farm supplying the 

 eggs, date due to hatch, &c. 



Some people set their pheasants eggs in little brass 

 shells, perforated with holes, " the mother " keeps the 

 apparatus warm of course, and if it ever hatches out 

 it cannot be crushed. I have not tried this plan 

 myself, but if expense be no object it sounds feasible, 

 and might save the money for incubators in some 

 cases. 



Buy early eggs, and set them fresh. I believe it is 

 those pheasants that obtain their full plumage the first 

 autumn that breed at a year old, and those that do 



