Practical Game-Preserving. 



44 



the bottoms must be open and covered with rat-proof wire- 

 netting, and it must be possible to get at the hen from 

 the top of the box. According to whether the hens are to 

 be tethered or not when taken off for feeding, 'so the boxes 

 must be fitted with a run or not if the hens be set in the 

 open or even in a hatching-shed ; but if the latter be 

 available the runs may be dispensed with. Hatching-boxes 

 to meet the requirements named can be obtained from 

 several manufacturers, but in case it is found more con- 

 venient, and possibly less expensive (which is doubtful), 

 to have them made on the premises or at home, I annex a 

 sketch of a suitable hatching-box (Fig. 2), with measure- 

 ments and sufficient description to enable this to be done. 



Fig. 2. Hatching-Box and Run. 



Measurements of Box : i6in. square by aoin. high. 

 ,, Run : 2ft. 6in. by i6in. 



In cases where it is necessary to resort to the provision 

 of a hatching-house, it is always possible to adapt an 

 already existing structure to the purpose, in which case it 

 must be so arranged that it embodies the requisite points 

 which go to make up a suitable erection of the kind. It 

 must always be borne in mind that anything which does 

 away entirely with the natural surroundings associated with 

 the hatching of pheasants' eggs would not prove suitable. 



