88 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



markably tame, and did not try to fly out. Especially in 

 the large field they were very little afraid of a stranger, and 

 came readily to feed while I photographed them. People 

 are kept away and no one is allowed to frighten them. As 

 the fields are large, even if the birds fly they are apt not to 

 go to the wire. Some fly out, but there is so little company 

 outside that they want to get back, and are caught by means 

 of the V-shaped spurs of wire netting previously described. 



Catching. To catch them in the pen, Mr. Clark builds a 

 'temporary wire enclosure 50 feet long and about half as wide. 

 He gets them accustomed to feeding inside this, and shuts 

 up large numbers at a time. This is in early fall, when they 

 are pretty well grown. The last ones, even in the enclosure, 

 are rather hard to catch. 



For Hunting. They are then confined in pens wired over 

 the top. A few days before shooting, numbers are taken out 

 and released in certain areas of swampy woods and meadow 

 which are naturally attractive to pheasants, where they are 

 hunted before they scatter very far. A good many at vari- 

 ous times get away, and they are found for ten miles up and 

 down tlie valley, as well as occasionally across the ranges of 

 hills. 



A Pastime. The raising of pheasants may be made a 

 most fascinating pastime. It is charming to have these 

 large and brilliant birds roaming upon one's own land and 

 to be able to breed and control them. True, they cannot be 

 depended upon to stay permanently upon the immediate 

 premises, yet they will to some extent, if the surroundings 

 are to their h'king. But by catching and penning a moder- 

 ate number of young each year, when they are well grown, 

 one can always have enough stock to obtain plenty of eggs 

 and maintain the output. Much can be learned from them 

 of the ways of wild gallinaceous birds. New species can be 



