86 PHEASANTS FOB COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



aviaries has now to be spoken of, but will not require much 

 consideration. Fixed aviaries are far inferior, as regards the 

 health of the birds, to those that are movable, therefore, if 

 possible, they should always be constructed so as to admit of 

 their being shifted on to new ground as often as is 

 convenient. The great cause of the comparatively small 

 success that attends the rearing of pheasants incur Zoological 

 collections arises from the fact that the birds are kept on the 

 same spot year after year, and in aviaries that are not one- 

 fourth of the size required for the health and comfort of the 

 birds. The plan of an ornamental aviary necessarily depends 

 on the desires of the owner, and hardly comes within the 

 scope of this work. Mr. Crook, w'ho had much experience in 

 erecting ornamental aviaries, writes as follows respecting 

 their construction : " A neatly constructed lean-to building 

 may be employed, facing south or south-west ; ten feet wide 

 or long, six feet deep from back to front, and six feet high at 

 front of the highest part of the roof ; the roof should project 

 over the side eighteen inches to throw off the wet. The 

 ground must be dug out under the house, and dry earth or 

 sand be filled in. Faggots may be placed here as before 

 directed, or slanting against the back wall ; every precaution , 

 being taken to induce seclusion for the nests. For those 

 pheasantries desired for strictly ornamental purposes the run 

 may be made to any size agreeable to the wishes of the 

 owner and the conveniences of the ground at command ; or 

 of any design in character with some buildings near at hand. 

 These ornamental aviaries may be carried out to any extent, 

 but cannot be made to move about ; therefore the greatest 

 attention must be paid to any minute detail in construction to 

 ensure the health and contentedness of the inmates. When 

 it is possible, the pens or runs should be placed where there 

 are some low-grovnng shrubs, or even currant or gooseberry 

 bushes, as they afford good sheltering places, and it is quite 

 possible that the hens will make their laying nests at the 

 roots of some of them, which will be a benefit to the birds." 



