114 PRACTICAL PHEASANT REARING. 



can remove your boards, and pack them up as before 

 advised. 



Take away five or six of the old hens per diem, as 

 you see them beginning to get pale in the comb, and 

 commencing to show signs of " having had enough 

 of it," although a few should always be left ; the 

 familiar maternal cluck comes like soft music to the 

 adolescent poult, and keeps him from straying too far 

 from home and getting into bad ways. Although we 

 have long ere this entrusted our charges with the latch 

 key, the youngsters, who by now are supposed to be 

 at least ten weeks old, will sit up in the trees and 

 amuse themselves in the long grass, but will return 

 ever and anon to feed around the coops. The strong 

 ones can now be fed twice a day with meal, and once 

 with cracked or whole corn. 



Soon after arrives the happy time of " barley in the 

 straw," in August probably. A good heap of this, 

 placed in convenient open spaces in the coverts, and 

 well sprinkled daily with grain, will keep the 

 youngsters busily employed, and careful watching and 

 destruction of vermin must do the rest. 



Into the mysteries of planning out the drives, beating 

 coverts, and the " stopping " of the same, I do not 

 propose to enter. My object has simply been to set 

 forth, in the plainest possible language, the means 

 by which keepers may make the most of the eggs 

 their masters purchase for them, and, finally wishing 

 that improved sport may wait upon such of my 



