2/4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



mews are constructed should have a light, porous soil. 

 If the latter condition be not obtainable the ground 

 should be dusted with sand and lime. Pens are con- 

 structed either as separate domestic establishments, con- 

 taining one cock to several hens, or are made to hold as 

 many birds as one requires, the proportion of cocks and 

 hens being maintained as in the small pen. Half an acre 

 of ground accommodates about forty hens. I f the pens 

 are constructed in covert, the place chosen should have 

 plenty of good undergrowth ; if they are placed in the 

 open the ground should be planted with shrubs of varied 

 kinds. Spruce and privet are generally recommended. 

 In feeding the birds in the mews, care should be 

 taken that this is always done by the same person. He 

 should on each occasion be dressed in the same type 

 of clothing. No strangers should be admitted, and 

 whether feedingthehens in mews or covert, ortheyoung 

 broods at a later period, there must be no attempt to 

 call the birds by whistling to them when about to dis- 

 tribute the food. This bad habit tends to domesticate 

 the birds to a marked degree. 1 1 is to be remembered at 

 this point that if open coverts are used, on no account 

 must birds be put into coverts in which they will not 

 naturally stay. Select a covert which they naturally 

 draw to and stray to. The general law that it is the 

 duty of the keeper to assist, and not to thwart, the in- 

 stinct of the bird must be observed. It will be found 

 thatpheasants naturally select covertswhich haveplenty 

 of light, plenty of shelter, that are dry and warm, and 



