CHAPTER L 



TEEATING OF THE PHEASANT AND ITS EGG. 



When proud pied April, dress'd in all his trim, 

 Hath put a spirit of youth in every thing. 



The Passionate Pilgrim, sonnet xcviii. 



,N the spring time of the year the thoughts 

 of both the game preserver and his 

 keeper are probably more occupied with 

 the " young pheasants " than with any 

 other topic; and, as some apology may be necessary 

 for reverting to a well-worn topic, it will be found in 

 the fact that, although much valuable information on 

 the breeding and rearing of pheasants, partridges, 

 and other game by hand and by means of incubators 

 has been published from time to time in the pages of 

 our national works on sport, yet it must be remem- 

 bered that these books, though instructive, are ex- 

 pensive, and, indeed, far beyond the reach of the 

 ordinary gamekeeper, who is the individual most 

 interested in the preliminary operations which 

 culminate in the modest " shoot " or the " lordly 



B 



