MOCK PHEASANTS. 63 



the head is easily made out of the upper end of the pole, 

 where too small for the body. Daub over with some oil paint 

 (burnt umber), bore a hole through the body for the nail, and 

 nail on the tree with a chisel- ended nail, that you may not 

 split the branch. What the cost is you may judge, as a 12ft. 

 pole costs fourpence, or less. Place them pretty thick where 



pheasants roost. By boring a hole lin. diameter from the 

 underneath to within half an inch of the back, they will, if 

 placed on a nail, move with the wind. My experience of 

 them is that the deception is perfect enough, as they are 

 diflBcult to distinguish from a pheasant, even in daylight. 



Whatever kind of mock pheasant is employed, they should 

 not be placed too near public roads or footpaths, and in those 

 cases in which they are liable to observation during the day, 

 they should be moved frequently.^' 



Alarm guns set in coverts with wires leading in different 

 directions are most valuable as alarming poachers, and 

 indicating the locality in which they are pursuing their, 

 depredations. One of the best, and certainly the cheapest, 

 alarm guns with which I am acquainted, is that devised 

 by Captain Darwin, and described in his useful manual on 

 ■Game Preserving, which has been too long out of print. The 

 author writes : " I have constructed an alarm gun which 

 combines the desiderata of cheapness and simplicity more 

 completely than any I have yet seen. I do not lay claim to 

 the invention of this gun^ but I certainly find I can adopt 

 materials in its construction that will come to a tenth part of 

 the money usually charged ; in fact, any tolerable mechanic 



