102 PSEA8ANT8 FOB COVEBTS AND AVIABIES. 



majority of cases these eggs are stolen, either from their own 

 or from other preserves. In some cases the keepers them- 

 selves purloin the eggs and sell them to the dealers, from 

 whom they are perhaps repurchased by the owner of the very 

 estate from whence they were abstracted. As an example of 

 the mode in which these frauds are perpetrated, I may 

 adduce the following example,j furnished by a correspondent '■ 

 " On a small estate in Sussex there was a pheasantry with 

 about seventy-five birds, and when the laying commenced, the 

 eggs were taken up carefully two or three times a day ; the 

 keeper had these eggs out as he got the hens ready to sit, 

 which was three or four times a week, as a very large 

 number of hens were kept. A book was kept, in which were 

 entered the eggs laid each day, the eggs given out being 

 also entered in a second column, and the number of birds 

 hatched in a third ; and the keeper was directed to preserve 

 all the eggs not hatched or bad, so that they might be added 

 to the number of birds, and the total of birds hatched and 

 bad eggs compared with the eggs laid. The first ten or 

 twelve hens brought out good broods of from thirteen to 

 seventeen birds each. Afterwards they decreased, and in 

 many cases there were only three, and even as low as one 

 bird in a brood. The eggs were never more than a day or 

 two old when first sat upon, we had often hens waiting for 

 the eggs, and everything was most favourable for a large 

 return of birds. At this time some suspicion was entertained, 

 and for a time the keeper was more closely looked after, 

 when the broods at once came up to twelve and fourteen 

 birds. But, unfortunately, the same watchful care was not 

 continued, and at the end of the season it was found that he 

 was short upwards of seven hundred eggs, and that he had 

 sold upwards of thirty-five pounds worth. The sitting- 

 house was a first-rate one for the purpose — large, roomy, and 

 dry. The keeper's plan Was to keep back a portion of good 

 eggs out of each setting, and substitute bad ones in their 

 place. I am very far indeed from saying that this is a 



