11:2 Laying and Hatching. 



publicity of advertisement : but by dealing with firms of 

 acknowledged reputation and long standing, they may be fairly 

 sure that they are obtaining eggs which have been laid in the 

 pens of those who offer them for sale, and not poached from 

 the coverts of their neighbours, or possibly, indeed, from their 

 own. 



Various opinions are offered as to the breed of fowls most 

 suitable for use as sitting hens. There can, however, be no 

 doubt that it should be one of a moderate size, and not too 

 ])rohfic in egg producing, as it is essential that the mother hen 

 should keep with the poults as long as possible, which she is 

 not likely to do after she recommences to lay. Silky fowls are 

 strongly recommended liy some, and they unquestionably 

 constitute admirable mothers. M. Wekemans, of the Antwerp 

 Zoological Gardens, where rare pheasants used to be reared 

 more successfully than in any similar establishment in Europe, 

 has employed half-bred silkies ; and the late Mr. Stone, of 

 Scyborwen, fully endorsed his practice. These half-bred 

 silkies are good sitters, admirable mothers, and keep a long 

 time with the young. The ordinary bantams sometimes 

 recommended are undoubtedly too small, not being able to 

 cover the poults when of any size. The emploj^ment of pure- 

 bied game hens is strongly recommended by many breeders 

 of pheasants, as they will defend their chicks against any 

 enemies that may attack them, though their natural wildness 

 renders their management somewhat difficult at times ; any 

 small, tame, ordinary hens will answer if known as good 

 nurses, and none others should be employed. 



Hens with feathered legs are not desirable, as they are 

 very frequently afflicted with what is known as " scurfy legs," 

 a very obnoxious disease, which is caused by minute parasites 

 that breed under the scales, causing rough swellings. These 

 parasites extend to the young pheasants, and many coverts 

 are infested with scurfy-legged pheasants in consequence. 



It is still too common a custom to set the hens in close 

 boxes, with lUtle or no ventilation, crowded together in 



