PROPORTION OF SEXES IN COVERTS. 59 



be safely spared from each ; this will give two hundred 

 and eighty eggs for tame rearing " ; but such a degree of 

 prolificacy in wild pheasants is a higher average than has 

 ever come under my notice. 



Another point of very considerable importance with regard 

 to the breeding of pheasants in preserves is the number of 

 cocks that should be left in the spring in proportion to the 

 number of hens. There is no doubt whatever that in a 

 state of nature pheasants are polygamouSj the stronger males 

 driving away the weaker, and taking possession of several 

 hens to constitute their seraglios ; hence the custom to shoot 

 down most of the cocks, and leave all the hens, even the 

 oldest, to breed. It is probable that this procedure is 

 frequently carried too far, and in confirmation of this view I 

 have much pleasure in quoting Mr. J. D. Dougall, who, in 

 his " Shooting Simplified," says : " It is customary to shoot 

 cock pheasants only, and to impose a fine upon the sportsmen 

 who break this rule, the money being escheated to the head 

 keeper, or applied to defray the expenses of a dinner at the 

 end of the season, when shootings are rented by a party 

 of gentlemen. This rule is very frequently overstretched. 

 It should not be forgotten that the desired end may be 

 frustrated by having too many hens, as well as by having 

 too few, and in whatever way the disproportion of sexes 

 is caused, the result — reduction in increase — is the same. 

 If the cocks are continually killed down, few male birds 

 wiU arrive at that complete maturity so essential to producing 

 a healthy stock. On the other hand, if the hens are 

 continually spared, they will not only grow out of proportion 

 to the number of cocks, but the aged hens will beat ofE the 

 two and three year old birds. Very old hens should certainly, 

 be destroyed. The most prolific are the two and three year 

 old birds." 



A correspondent who supports this view writes : " It is 

 very certain that in many instances too few cocks are 

 frequently left in preserved coverts at the end of the season ; 



