WILD-BRED AND HAND-REARED 



199 



direction of the experienced head keeper ; but for 

 dehcate handhng of young birds, for treating their 

 diseases, preserving the regularity of their feeding, 

 and for the maternal instinct which should watch 

 over them from the day of the laying of the first egg 

 until they roost freely on the trees, I firmly believe 

 that the matronly instinct of an intelligent woman 

 will be found far better than the rougher care of the 

 most conscientious male keeper. ' 



The latter will have full employment in keeping 

 down the vermin, procuring ants' eggs, night watching, 

 and the like ; but a woman will prove the best for 

 the actual handling and management of the birds. 



In conclusion, in rearing pheasants, as in every 

 other branch of the cultivation or pursuit of animals 

 by man, let the latter show his intelligence by invari- 

 ably giving way to, or assisting, the superior instinct 

 of the bird for his own good. He must run and 

 scratch, and have varied and healthy food ; give 

 him loose earth to scratch at, plenty of room, and the 

 variety, including green food, that he requires. He 

 will not naturally stay long on cold, damp, or clayey 

 ground ; give him the contrary ; give him shelter 

 from rain and immunity from vermin and from sudden 

 frights. In short, reproduce in confinement as nearly 

 as possible the essentials of health in his wild life. 



