66 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



summons has been instrumental in inducing the tender 

 brood to nestle up to her. Confidence is at once 

 established amongst the interesting family, and you 

 will have no further trouble. 



When you have gone down the whole line, return 

 again to the coop where you started, and make certain 

 that all the hens have taken kindly to their broods. 

 Should any be obdurate, tickle the old hen under the 

 breast with your fingers, and then just insert the 

 heads of the youngsters under her breast feathers ; 

 with patience she may yet become a good mother. 

 Sometimes, however, a hen absolutely refuses to have 

 anything to do with the chickens provided for her, 

 ,and will pick out their brains if not carefully watched. 

 This generally occurs with pure-bred game hens. A 

 iew alarm guns, with plenty of wire attached, are a 

 great safeguard at night to your rearing field. They 

 can now be purchased so cheaply, that I consider it 

 the duty of every man who is rearing a lot of birds to 

 invest in a few. Mr. Burgess, of Great Malvern, sells 

 a very cheap and effectual machine, which takes the 

 ordinary No. 12 central-fire cartridge, plenty of which 

 .are generally handy at or near a keeper's residence. 

 The keeper should be careful, after his birds have 

 teen out a few weeks say five or six to watch the 

 old hens, with a view of detecting any incipient desire 

 on their part to quit the duties of maternity and return 

 to the egg-laying business. If this intention on the 

 part of the hen be not soon found out, she will be 



