[7si//i^^ Artificial Eggs 31 



bird, who hovers them a Httle distance away while 

 the hen stays to dry off belated chicks and hatch 

 belated eggs. This excellent habit of hers 

 explains the reason unhatched eggs are so seldom 

 found in a nest after she has left it with her brood. 

 A pheasant, on the other hand, is inclined to go 

 off with the first strong chicks to appear, and 

 leave belated eggs to their fate. Should artificial 

 eggs be permitted to remain in a nest, the partridge 

 stays longer than she should in an endeavour 

 to hatch them, and not only will the brood suffer 

 for this delay, but risk of their being snapped up 

 by foxes increases with every hour. 



It is unnecessary to say more to show that by 

 skilful use artificial eggs may be rendered of great 

 value in a hunting country, for game birds may be 

 decoyed to nest where the keeper considers they 

 will hatch with less risk of disturbance by foxes, 

 and with a little practice and experience endless 

 methods of utilising them will suggest themselves 

 to him. 



