52 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



you bring your birds out. Put a trap in every 

 possible place, and remember that rabbits' paunches 

 and herrings are a cheap and effective bait. Do not 

 forget also to erect a few pole traps on the more ex- 

 posed positions. When the chicks arrive, move your 

 spring traps further out, to prevent accidents, and 

 take in the hedges of the next few fields about, and 

 keep the traps there all the while you are rearing ; 

 not forgetting that the village feline, though a graceful 

 creature, is better employed at mousing or rearing 

 kittens than in investigating the success of your ex- 

 periments ; and, though of course I do not pretend 

 to offer any distinct advice upon such a delicate 

 subject, yet I have seen a few box traps baited with 

 valerian, and " trailed up to " with a red herring, 

 scattered about a rearing field, and wondered very 

 much what they were left there for ; as also have I 

 marvelled at the discovery of a sack and a tub of 

 water in the corner of the same piece of pasture. But 

 enough ! Do not choose your field near a wood. If 

 you live in a wood yourself all day, you will require a 

 top coat more than if you spent that same day in the 

 open. Ditto with the birds who have not the advan- 

 tage of your well-filled wardrobe. Trees produce 

 draughts, also hawks, both of which are detrimental 

 to young pheasants. If there are any magpies' or 

 other nests about, old or new, put round or rabbit 

 traps into them ; indeed, if there are one or two 

 solitary trees about, you might amuse yourself more 



