HATCHING OUT AND INCUBATORS. 35 



the dinner gong has gone, and the cook has put too 

 much onion into the bread sauce, entails little else 

 but worry, danger, annoyance, and expense upon 

 their nurses, guardians, owners, and destroyers. And 

 yet we love the pheasant. The sportsman, although 

 it is somewhat the fashion to decry the battue, seldom 

 refuses an invitation to join in one ; and as for the 

 epicure, did not a French monk, a celebrated preacher, 

 urge, some centuries ago, that pheasants should be 

 eaten by the clergy alone, " that, incorporated with 

 their glorious bodies, they might be raised to Heaven, 

 and not go with impious unbelievers to the infernal 

 regions ? " 



There's a character for you, gentlemen ! and yet is 

 the pheasant often the cause of much maliciousness 

 upon this earth envy, hatred, jealousy, theft, and 

 malice are not uncommonly to be found in his train, 

 and some men will use as much artifice and deception 

 to acquire an invitation to some " noted shoot," as 

 would not disgrace an experienced London chaperon 

 when intriguing to get self and daughter invited to a 

 ball in a bit better " set " than they are generally 

 accustomed to move about in. 



But meanwhile our pheasants are chirping to be let 

 out, so back again to business. The incubator at this 

 stage plays a most important part, and the wise man 

 who wishes to get as much sport as possible for his 

 money will do well to invest in one for hatching 

 purposes. A saving of at least 10 per cent, in 



D 2 



