92 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



It should be three feet long. This should be placed by the 

 side of one of those forming the pen, and the door being 

 open the birds should be gently driven into it ; then the door 

 should be closed. They niay then be taken with the hand or 

 net. A pheasant should be caught with one hand, taking' at 

 the same time a. wing and thigh, the other hand should be 

 brought into play directly to prevent its struggling, and it 

 may then be easily and safely held in one, taking both thighs 

 and the tips of both wings in tlie hand at the same time. It 

 takes two pei'sons to cut the wings. They should always be 

 held with their heads towards the person holding them." 



Since the first publication of this work the plans advocated 

 in it liave been very generally tested and discussed. The 

 remarks of one of the writers contain so many useful details 

 that I am glad to reproduce the uKjre practical portion of his 

 letters. 



"The advice offered with reference to pheasant pens or 

 aviaries is as easy and inexpensive of adoption as it is good. 

 By carefully following the excellent instructions fully set 

 forth in the work upon pheasants by Islv. Tegetmeier — to 

 whom the thanks of all lovers of the bird are due — I 

 succeeded during the lirst spring in securing from thirty- 

 five hens one thousand eggs. Forty birds snnilarly treated 

 produced the following season I.'jOO ; the next year forty-one 

 hens ]u-esented us IGUO ; while the present year oifers promise 

 of a still better return. 



"The fertility of cjur eggs is most satisfactorv, verv nearly 

 all })i'oving fruitful, the few failing to hatch containinir 

 chicks, which through accident merely had not reached 

 matui-ity. Here, again, I must gratefully acknowledge the 

 excellent practical iustiaictions proifered by Mr. 'J'eo-etmeier 

 relating to feeding .specially and management generally. 

 We take all the pheasants with which our pens are supplied 

 from ea.rly hatchings, care being observed that a due 

 admixture of wild Ijirds' eggs are ])laced in these lirst 

 sittings, thus securing a thorough change of bluod. 



