90 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



until just becoming " stodgy," which is the only word 

 I can think of, and but a poor one at best to express 

 my meaning. 



This mass, when brushed into the feeding tins 

 having been previously spread out and worked lightly 

 over by both hands, spread out flat with the palms 

 extended, on the feeding table will, if properly 

 prepared, be found to resolve itself into pellets about 

 the size of No. 3 shot, or small peas, which are the 

 proper article to offer to the very young birds. As 

 they grow older the food may, of course, be prepared 

 with less care, and the lumps of food presented to 

 their notice can be larger and coarser. A little 

 crushed canary seed occasionally may be mixed up 

 with advantage ; but avoid hemp seed as you would 

 poison, and be very wary of linseed meal, so often 

 recommended, although in very bad weather I have 

 known an infinitesimal portion to be of service. 



Of course, if you have only a very few birds to deal 

 with, you can air your fancy as to chopped lettuce, 

 dari, rape seed, onions, chopped artichoke, and various 

 other delicacies ; but, take my word for it, none of 

 these are the least necessary; and the good, old- 

 fashioned, plain, homely food is all that is requisite to 

 bring up your birds from start to finish. By the use 

 of the latter word I allude, of course, to the time when 

 your poults will be strong enough to eat crushed, and 

 then whole, Indian corn or maize, to which happy 

 epoch we are now attempting to lead them by easy 

 stages. 



