EBAEINa THE YOUNG BIRDS. ' 79 



destroyed by the boiling process. In my opinion, much depends on the nature of 

 the food upon which the chicks are fed as to whether they should have water or 

 not; if they are fed on dry food, and the weather is warm and dry, they will 

 req^uire water, but it must be very clean, and given only once a day, and must 

 not remain before them longer than to allow each bird to have a little. If the 

 birds are fed on moist scalded food, they will not require any water unless the 

 weather is very hot, when a little may be given as before stated. The water must 

 be spring or stream water, and I should advise it being given at noon. It must 

 also be remembered that birds reared on heavy clay land will require less water than 

 those reared on sandy or gravel soil ; attention must also be paid to the amount of 

 dew which falls, supposing the birds are set at liberty before the dew has time 

 to evaporate. Those who argue that nature should be the guide on this point must 

 recollect that the rearing of pheasants by hand is altogether an artificial process, 

 and that therefore nature cannot be strictly followed with regard to water any more 

 than with regard to food." A weU-known game preserver writes on the subject 

 as follows : — " My keeper is a very successful breeder and rearer of pheasants. It 

 seems to me (for I watched his proceedings very closely) that he gives the birds 

 the very smallest supply of water. He carries a bottle in his pocket when he 

 feeds, and puts about a wineglassful into each hen's saucer. The hens seem 

 thirsty enough, and leave but little for the young birds. He feeds very sparingly 

 but frequently, throwing the food wide. The food for a long time was rice with 

 chopped boiled egg, ants' nests, and a very few gentles. He has brought up a 

 great many pheasants and birds for me. One year, strange to say, out of 211 he 

 did not lose one. Certainly the season was favourable. Little water, and food 

 thrown wide round the coops, seems to be his system." 



Inquiry is frequently made as to the cost of rearing pheasants in numbers. 

 It is very difficult to state even an approximate sum, so much depends on the 

 conditions under which they are raised. Eor food only until they are ready to go 

 into the coverts, an average amount of from Is. to Is. 6d. per head may be 

 stated. Mr. T. 0. Cade writes: "The result of my own observations in two years 

 (1870 and 1878) is as follow : — In 1870 my keeper's bill for four hundred birds 

 was, eggs, £5 6s. 6d. ; bread, £1 12s. 4id. ; milk, £2 lis. 8d. ; suet, 13s. 6d. ; 

 ' secrets,' 7s. 6d. — £10 lis. G^d. To this must be added Indian corn, meal, and 

 rabbits ; but I cannot give the exact quantity of each, as dogs were fed from the 

 meal barrel, and the rabbits were not counted ; £9 8s. is, I consider, a fair 

 estimate of the cost of what was used for the birds— making a total of £20 for 

 four hundred, or Is. each. About the ' secrets ' I can say nothing, except that 

 none are required. 



" In 1878, for three hundred under my supervision, the cost was, very 

 coarse Scotch meal, £9 16s. 6d. ; milk, £3 ; eggs, £1 15s. ; rennet, 2s. 8d. ; 



