134 HATCHING. 



like other fowls; nor is the flesh of those brought 

 up in the house, in any degree comparable to that 

 of the wild pheasant : thence they are bred at home, 

 either merely for show, or for the purpose of re- 

 plenishing the proprietor's grounds, both with regard 

 to number or particular varieties, However good 

 nursing mothers in a wild state, pheasant hens are 

 far otherwise in the house, whence their eggs are 

 almost always HATCHED at home by the common hen, 

 generally, at present, by the smooth-legged BANTAM. 



Certainly the pheasant hen, barring the above ob- 

 jection, would be far the more eligible, on all accounts; 

 in particular, from her ability to cover a greater num- 

 ber of eggs, and her being the natural mother of 

 the young brood. For partridges' eggs, the bantam 

 hen is the proper domestic sitter, or rather, the only 

 one. When the eggs of these birds are found deserted 

 in the mowing season, it is quite natural for the 

 finders and proprietors to desire to get them hatched, 

 which is far the easiest part of the business ; the diffi- 

 culty lies in preserving the young broods during the 

 first few weeks, as they cannot with safety be trusted 

 at large, with the hen, like chickens. 



The above particulars on the laying and habits of 

 the pheasant, were derived from the experience of 

 a number of breeders and fanciers of the" bird, and 

 to a certain degree of that of the author. It is 

 probable they may yet be found generally correct. 

 The author, however, records with pleasure a 

 notable exception ; at the same time wishing it may 

 cease to form an exception. During the season of 

 1822, Mr. Lightfoot of Harlow Hill, near Northum- 



