122 PHEASANTS FOB COVDBTS AND AVIABIES. 



the mornings, and only in very dry weather do the old hens 

 take their broods to water. In very dry weather, when there 

 is little or no dew, he sprinkles water twice a day on the 

 grass, but never puts any down for them until the time before 

 stated, and when he waters the hens he does not allow the 

 pheasants to drink." The writer of the following letter 

 holds the balance very fairly between the opposing views : 

 " Much depends on the nature of the food upon which the 

 chicks are fed as to whether they should have water or not ; 

 if they are fed on dry food, and the weather is warm and 

 dry, they will require water, but it must be very clean, and 

 given only once a day, and must not remain before them 

 longer than to allow each bird to have a little. If the birds 

 are fed on moist scalded food, they will not require any water 

 unless the weather is very hot, when a little may be given as 

 before stated. The water must be spring or steam water, 

 and I should advise it being given at noon. It must also be 

 remembered that birds reared on heavy clay land will require 

 less water than those reared on sandy or gravel soil; atten- 

 tion must also be paid to the amount of dew which falls, 

 supposing the birds are set at liberty before the dew has 

 time to evaporate. Those who argiie that nature should be 

 the guide on this point must recollect that the rearing of 

 pheasants by hand is altogether an artificial process, and that 

 therefore nature cannot be strictly followed with regard to 

 water any more than with regard to food." A well-known 

 game preserver writes on the subject as follows : " My keeper 

 is a very successful breeder and rearer of pheasants. It 

 seems to me (for I watched his proceedings very closely) that 

 he gives the birds the very smallest supply of water. He 

 carries a bottle in , his pocket when he feeds, and puts about 

 a wineglassful into each hen's saucer. The hens seem thirsty 

 enough, and leave but little for the young birds. He feeds 

 very sparingly but frequently, throwing the food wide. The 

 food for a long time was rice with chopped boiled egg, ants' 

 eggs, and a very few gentles. He has brought up a great 



