PJIEAHAXT REAIUXii AT ELSENHA.M. 



tulliiwed mcist siiccessfnlly for nioix' tbaii twuuty years on the 

 estate of Sir Walter (lilhcy. 



The details of the inaiingemeiit will show that the saeee'<s 

 IS siiiiy)!}' owing to the jiheasants Ijeing reared under natiii'al, 

 sonnd sanitary eoiiditions. ^Plie niiniher raised annnally 

 varies between ;!o(M) and l-OOO. The hirgest covert on the 

 estate is clusely wijodi-tl on heavv, dani[), nnfavonraljle land. 

 It is eighty-twij a,eres in extent. Then there are two others, 

 ODO (jf fit'ty-six acres ami iinother id thii'ty-t\vo a(;res, and in 

 addition there are some three or lour hundreil hirds dis|K'rsed 

 (jii other parts of the estate. N(.i lards whatever are ])enned 

 up. d'hey are all allnwed tu la_y in the coverts, and the eggs 

 are collected ami hatched under fnrinyard hens. It is easy to 

 appreciate the strung vitality of the eggs, and the strength id 

 the chickens that they ]irtidiice, when they are collected from 

 well-fed lards living under natural conditnnis in the open. 



In order that an abundance of eggs slnjiild be produced, 

 the wild pheasants are fed fi'eely for about six wei'ks before 

 they begin to lay. Thej' have barley meal mixed with a 

 certain proportion of Spratt's crissel for their first morning 

 meal, and afterwai'ds soaked wlieat and oats. Of the latter 

 they are particularly fond. As fa.tteniog foi")d is not advan- 

 tageous for laying birds^ no maize is used, ddie eggs are 

 collected daily, and a sharp look out is kept for the rof)ks, 

 which one season destroyed iin.ire than '>oO eggs, in addition 

 to nearly lifty eggs from the hen turkey turds, wiiich .are 

 allowed to nest out and rear their young wdiile in the co\"eits, 

 the turkeys and pheasants agreeing perfectly well together. 

 When the young pheasants are hatched tlie coops under 

 which they are placed are not crowded together, as is too 

 commonly the custom, but pilaced at long distances apart, 

 never nea,rer than thirty yards, consequently the yijiing 

 pheasants have tree and untainted range, and hnd insects 

 and food for themselves. For the hr.st nine or ten days tliey 

 are fed three times a day, and this is done so judiciously that 

 no stale food is left from one meal to another. The food 



