R EC RE A TION. 



409 



GALLERY OF GOOD DOGS. 



IV. 



Mr. Harry M. Belt, Des Moines, Iowa, writes 

 as follows of the dog whose portrait is shown 

 herewith : 



' ' Drake is a cross between a Chesapeake bay 

 dog and an Irish spaniel, and is larger than 

 either sire or dam. He weighs, when in full flesh 

 about 100 pounds, is very docile and ex- 

 tremely fond of children, thus being a valuable 

 house dog as well as a hunter. 



He is a tireless worker in the field and never 

 loses a dead bird. 



1 have shot ducks over him both spring and 

 fall, and find him as true one season as another. 

 In the fall, when rice and reeds are high and 

 thick, he is much better than a smaller and 

 weaker dog would be. He has brought me many 

 a crippled canvasback and redhead from the bot- 

 tom of Lost Island lake. 



He is a great favorite with every one who has 

 had the pleasure of shooting over him, and we 

 consider him the best duck dog and all-around 

 retriever in this country. 



Mr. W. E. Wilson, the owner of the dog, is 

 in the drug business at Ruthven, Iowa. I shall 

 go there in a few days for a two weeks shoot 

 with Wilson and Drake. I find them both royal 

 good fellows and true sportsmen. 



If you publish Drake's picture you will please 

 many of your Iowa readers, for he is well known 

 all over the northern part of the State." 



BREEDING PHEASANTS. 



Rochester, N. Y. 



Editor Recreation. 



Mr. John Leasure asks for information as to 

 the best methods to be pursued in breeding 

 pheasants. The Genesee Valley Fish and Bird 

 Protective and Propagating Association has done 

 some good work in this line, but instead of trying 

 the pure Mongolian, we procured 100 eggs ob- 

 tained from a cross between the English and 

 Mongolian pheasant. We placed these eggs, as 

 did Mr. Leasure, among friends. In this we 

 erred, for, while some bi ought out every chick, 

 others got none. Experience has taught us it is 

 wiser to employ some skilled person to look after 

 the work of propagating. We have about 30 

 birds, one year old, to start this season's work 

 with. The hens have already commenced to lay, 

 and if we are so fortunate as Mr. Leasure's 

 friends, in getting 100 eggs to a hen, we shall 

 have several hundred birds to liberate next fall. 



We do not consider these birds hard to raise. 

 Of course, they need some care until about eight 

 weeks old ; after that they are able to rustle 

 for themselves. Just before hatching, the sitting 

 hen and the nest should be well dusted with 

 insect powder. Our pheasantries are roofed oyer 

 in winter, but during the severe weather which 

 we had in January last the birds suffered no in- 

 convenience ; in fact, they seemed to enjoy play- 

 ing in the snow. 



It is not well to have more than one cock to five 

 hens, as at this season the cocks fight furiously. 

 Later, if practicable, I should like to exchange 



