Practical Game-Preserving. 46 



At Fig. 3 is given the ground-plan of a hatching-house 

 which can be erected at very moderate cost, and withal of 

 substantial construction. Designed to be a permanent 

 structure, it can be utilised at other times for many other 

 purposes, such as aviaries for special kinds of pheasants, 

 for storage of coops, runs, and other materials, or as a 

 hospital for sick and ailing birds, mature or otherwise. 

 The measurements are those suitable for twelve nesting- 

 boxes, but would serve for half as many again if required. 

 Further details of the construction are here given than are 

 set down in the references. The back may be a stone or a 

 brick wall, or even wood, as are the sides and divisions 

 (a a a a), and should not extend right up to the roof, a 

 space of i ft. being left open. The side and front portions 

 marked b are of wire netting, boarded up 2ft. high all 

 round, as shown at Fig. 3 ; while the outer roof (a, Fig. 4) 

 is of the same material. The inner roof (b, Fig. 4), 

 which extends only half-way across the pen, is of board 

 overlapped. At e e e (Fig. 3) are doors by which to pass 

 from one division of the pen to another, the object of 

 dividing them being that when the sitting hens are let off 

 in the morning the worry and disadvantage which would 

 accrue were the whole lot of hens turned off together, are 

 avoided, or were it necessary to let out but two or three at 

 a time. Furthermore, the small limits of the separate 

 pens preclude any unruly hen from eluding capture 

 when she shows a disposition to allow her eggs to 

 become cool. 



In a hatching-house of this description, although the 

 boxes are figured as being each supplied with a run, the 

 latter is not necessary in every case, although where the 

 means exist, a run to every hatching-box is a decided 

 acquisition. At the same time, they can be easily 

 dispensed with. 



