110 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



rain, and is drieil ([inckur Ijy the wind and sun ; and the pens 

 are readily shifted liy one person. The ego-s are removed Ijy 

 shifting the netting at tlie top, and taken unt l)y means of a 

 small Sin. or 4in, landing net. 



Idiere are many locahties in whicli sncli a plan, sltonld it 

 he as advantageous as has been represented to me, would be 

 exceedingly convenient. It is needless to say that the sanitary 

 precaution of shifting the pens every day should Ije rigidly 

 insisted upon. If the ground is allowed to become foul by 

 keeping the bii'ds (ui the same space for several days, disease 

 would inevitably ensue ; but, small as the space is, in 

 conseqttencc of the bii'ds lieiug continually over fresh, 

 tiutaiuted ground, I am assured tliey do exceedingly well. I 

 should have imagined that the number of birds in so small a 

 pen would have been too great, Init 1 am told ihat six hens 

 have done as well m these small nujvaljle ]ieus as a less 

 Dumber. Abhough I have bad no experience of this mode of 

 keeping pheasants, nor have seen it pitt into ]ira,ctice, I think 

 it is ipiite wortliy of the attention of all |diea-sant reavers ; 

 therefore 1 have great pleasure m jnildi^hiULC this account. 

 It is obvious that the plan prjssesses one great advantage over 

 the use i.if large (jpeii pens — namely, it is not necessary to 

 pillion the birds or cut the wing feather^, consequently at the 

 end of the laying season they can be let out into the open with 

 full security against the attacks (jf dogs and foxes. The pens 

 can lie strengthened by .i small lath or ii.ar screwed across 

 each Corner, and to this can be tied a spruce branch, under 

 whicli the heirs can lay, ami the nettint^', I should liave said, 

 is most I'eadily secured 1iy being tied down to l.'.iii. screw 

 eyes. Aiiotlier advantage arising from the ])lan of frequently 

 shifting tlie ]iens is that a su})j:ily of fn-'sli grass is provided by 

 each movemeut. 



]\Iauy pheasant rearers are srj short-Mghted as to recruit 

 their stock of eu'gs by purdiase, forgetting that in the CTeat 

 majority of casus the.-e eggs are stolen, either from their ciwn 

 or from other preserves. In some cases the keejiers them- 



