PHEASANTS, 287 



place the whole brood under a frame, with a net over it, and 

 a covered place for the hen, so as to confine her, but leave 

 the young Pheasants at liberty to leave or return to her at 

 pleasure. Their food must consist of boiled eggs cut small, 

 boiled milk and bread, alum curd, and ants' eggs, a little 

 of each, and often. Eice may also be given, softened by 

 boiling ; and instead of ants' eggs, which in some places are 

 not easily procured, or in addition to them, maggots from 

 decayed flesh may be used. Artificial ants' eggs may be 

 easily made, composed of flour, beaten up with an egg and 

 shell together, and the pellets rubbed between the fingers to 

 a proper size. 



After two or three days, they will be acquainted with the 

 call of their foster-mother, and they may then be allowed to 

 run upon a grass-plot, or elsewhere ; the edge of a corn-field 

 is very desirable, as they like the tall stems, and soon learn 

 to pick up the green grains, taking care to shift them with, 

 the sun, and guard them from cold winds. They ought not 

 to be released in the morning before the sun is up, and they 

 must be shut in with the hen in good time in the evening. 

 When they are old enough, those that are to be turned out 

 wild ought to be taught to perch. This is done by tying a 

 string to the hen's leg, and obliging her to sit in a tree all 

 night. She should be placed there before sunset, and, if she 

 falls down, she must be perseveringly replaced, till she become 

 contented with her situation; then the young birds will 

 follow the hen, and perch with her, and in a few days will 

 shift for themselves. If regularly fed, they will remain near 

 any particular spot, and frequent a lawn or pleasure-ground 

 as familiarly, and almost as fearlessly, as common poultry. 

 An ingenious feeding-machine has been made, by which the 

 grain may not only be kept dry, but reserved for the sole 

 use of the Pheasants, or, at least, the larger sort of fowls ; 

 as the lid, covering a trough containing the seed, opens and 

 shuts by the weight of the Pheasant hopping on or off a 

 perch connected with a crank. 



Pheasants have been considered, and with some reason, 

 -foolish birds, easily taken by every variety of snare ; but, 



