124 PHEASANTS FOR rOVKRTS AND AVIARIES. 



of giving gentles t(j youDg birds; tliei'e is great danger in 

 these ; and I merely mention them, without recommending 

 their use ; for, unless the person who gives them will take the 

 trouble to keep them for some time in moist sand or damp 

 earth until they have become thoroughly cleansed, they are 

 apt to cause purging. Many valuable birds have been lost 

 by the incautious use i>f gentles freshly taken from the 

 carcase of si.ime dead animal ; but if well cleansed by 

 kee|iiug ten or twelve days after Ijeing removeil froui the 

 tiesli, a few, a very few, may l)e given in case no better kind of 

 insect food is at hand. ^Ilie treatment of the young birds, 

 such as cliange of food, it-c, must greatly depend upon the 

 jadgmeut and skill of the pers(jn who has charge of them. 

 Much also depends upon the locality, the state of the atmo- 

 sphere, the tempera,tare, the drvuess or wetness of the season, 

 the abundance or scarcitv of insect food, and other con- 

 sidei'ations which must servo to guide those in wliose care 

 the clucks are ])laced." 



The mode of managemeut pursued by the late Mr. Douglas 

 is Somewhat diiferent. lie tridv remarks: "Although food 

 has a great deal to do in the rearing of pheasants, attention 

 lias almost an e([ual share; and without the attention required 

 being given, food would be of little avail. I will commence 

 with the hatching. Never remove your hens until the 

 chicks ai'c well nested, guarding the nest to keep any that 

 may be hatched liefore the l.'ist cliick is strong enough to 

 leave the nest. X(.'ver t;ike the lir>t hatched from the hen — 

 it is wrong; nothing is so benehcial in strengthening a 

 chick as the heat of the hen's body. Let feeding alone for 

 the lirst twenty-four Injurs aftei- the lirst chick is hatched; 

 the large (puintily of yolk that is drawn into the chick within 

 the last twenty-four houi's of its C(.uilineinenl in the shell is 

 suilii'ient tor its wiints ikiring the time specili(Ml. Next, have 

 your coops set on dry turf two or three <lnys ])revious to 

 your pheasants being hatcheil ; it will save a little hurry 

 when wanted; also it will keep the spot dry, that being so 



