APPENDIX II. 



Game Birds in Captivity. 



As game-birds will generally Uve well in captivity, their man- 

 agement is well known, but a few hints to beginners may not be 

 out of place ; even if there is no idea of keeping these birds for any 

 length of time, it may often be necessary to collect and transport 

 them for re-stocMng depleted areas, or for export abroad, and 

 mistakes may easily be made by inexperienced people even in 

 simple proceedings like these. 



For instance, care is required in handling such birds ; the larger 

 ones are very strong and violent in their movements, and so are 

 apt to hurt themselves when handled ; while the smaller kinds 

 have a way of slipping backwards out of one's grasp in a most 

 disconcerting manner. In handling a quail or partridge, there- 

 fore, it is as well to be prepared for this manoeuvre ; a bigger 

 bird should be grasped by the legs or wings, always taking hold 

 of both at once, and seizing the legs high up. This last precau- 

 tion is particularly necessary in the case of spurred species, 

 whose weapons may inflict a nasty cut. A hand net is best to 

 shift these birds with, whenever it can be used, as when catching 

 them out of an aviary or enclosure. 



Then, game-birds of all sorts are particularly apt to spring 

 up violently and hurt their heads ; hence, any basket, cage or 

 hutch used for transporting them in should have a loose canvas or 

 sacking top, this being protected above by a more soUd roof if 

 necessary. When confined in rooms or in aviaries, these should 

 have a ceiling of fine string net some inches below the real roof, 

 unless the birds are intended to be kept shut up permanently, 

 when it will be sufficient to clip one of the wings of each specimen 

 when they are put in ; this will prevent any suicidal performances 

 for some time, and by the time the cut quills are all moulted out 

 the birds will have got tamer. 



All aviaries for birds of this description should be roofed and 

 kept as dry underfoot as possible ; and shade is also very import- 

 ant in a climate like India ; but an outdoor run attached is a 

 very useful adjunct, and tends to keep the birds in better con- 

 dition. 



