42 THE GAME BREEDER 



from draughts, noises and absolutely fed and cared for. all through the win- 

 protected from shakes or shif tings. ter, are in fine condition and plumage, 

 Each 'morning, say at ten" o'clock, the and a good head of game is practically 

 head keeper and the keeper told off to assured for the next season. It will be 

 attend to the incubators go in, and after observed that I have spoken of purchas- 

 carefully shutting the door, a stool or ing the first stock eggs from a game 

 chair is placed in front of the incubator, farm; after the first year, if good judg- 

 and the drawers are noiselessly opened ment is exercised, a less and less quan- 

 out so as to cover the knees of the oper- tity of eggs would require purchasing, 

 ator. Starting from the back of the As the birds are hatched out they 

 drawer, moisten with the tongue the tips should be passed on to the drying boxes, 

 of the fingers, and turn each egg com- and will there require no food for the 

 pletely over — on one day the dated side ordinary period. They there dry them- 

 of the eggs is uppermost, the next the selves thoroughly, and are transferred 

 blank side. The drawers will each be thus to the foster mothers, which should have- 

 open for about ten or fifteen minutes, been made ready for their reception in 

 the requisite time for airing the eggs, the same way as the incubators for the 

 and which approximates to Nature. The eggs, viz., lamps burning and hot water 

 drawers are then carefully closed, hot in for a day or two, so as to get thor- 

 water poured in to fill if necessary, lamps oughly regulated. I give my way of 

 trimmed, etc., and all fastened up again placing the fostering machines; but of 

 securely. course, considerable latitude is allow- 

 The key of the door or shed should able, according to the various rearing 

 never be handed to strangers and no fields, etc. I choose a dry, sunny piece 

 one should be admitted to view the of meadow land adjoining the most con- 

 incubators at work, unless accompanied venient covert, where young spruce and 

 by the regular attendant. At any time larch intermingle with older timber, as 

 of the day or night that you happen to these encourage the young birds to 

 be in proximity, enter quietly, and look perch when put on their own resources, 

 at the thermometers, enter heat in book (If a large, empty aviary is available 

 so as to keep the average, and never without top it can be utilized for first 

 forget to enter time and date of turn- turning birds into with advantage, after 

 ing eggs. This means a systematic way, leaving the foster mothers.) I see that 

 and nothing in our line succeeds like the ground is carefully levelled, so that 

 system. the water in the tanks over the birds 

 I may now mention that the last 200 is perfectly even with the opening into 

 eggs, of which I have before spoken, the various runs f acmg the sun as much 

 are put in, together with other late eggs as convenient. The birds are first fed 

 which may come up from the estate, and in the glass runs before they are al- 

 these birds I generally pass into an lowed out to the wire-covered runs ; and 

 aviary after leaving the foster mothers, while speaking of feeds, it must be re- 

 where I keep them well fed; at the fag niarked that each keeper must be there 

 end of the season I turn a few out in his own judge. 



the coverts, if more sport is desired by I myself prefer Spratt's foods as sup- 



the guns. But if sport has been satis- plied, and can turn out my birds from 



factory, I retain them until shooting is the egg to the gun with Hearson's m- 



all over. I then keep sufficient birds in cubators and foster mothers and Spratt's 



the aviary for eggs for the ensuing sea- foods. Two of the No. 21 foster 



son, and turn the remainder out into the mothers and one of the No. 13, are suf- 



nearest covert for their self-laying and ficient to bring the supply of birds up 



hatching. By this procedure I can make in first-class condition. These, with the 



certain that none of the birds have been incubators; will last for years, and no 



injured by being shot at, and have a further outlay in this direction need be 



sufficient stock for the following season, incurred. I have myself m southern 



Those birds turned out having been well counties put eggs in much earlier than 



