u7 Pheasants. 



moved eggs, and general disturbance of the sitting hen. 

 Damage of this kind is invariably due to crows, rooks, or 

 magpies. These also and the other vermin named more 

 frequently attack the young birds. From this period 

 onward the work of vermin will become of a more general 

 character as regards the wild birds, and will be dealt with 

 when the occasion arises. 



Coming to the hand-reared birds, those in the rearing- 

 field must first receive attention, for from the very start 

 the young chicks will require all the protection which can 

 be afforded them, being exposed as they are to almost 

 every kind of danger. The means to be taken to protect 

 them should be as largely preventive as possible, for 

 whatever the class of vermin attacking them, it is far 

 easier to deal with them before they make inroads upon 

 the birds than after they have been made the subject of 

 attack. Inasmuch as the vermin do not spring from 

 amidst the coops, it is plain what are the main steps to be 

 taken against them. The hedges and ditches around 

 should be searched for signs of rats and other small 

 vermin, and, wherever there may appear reason for it, 

 small run traps should be placed in any likely positions, 

 baits being used to attract them. The probability is that 

 if rats scent the rearing-coops, as they are sure to do if 

 they be at all plentiful about the estate or the buildings 

 thereon, they will make their way into the field through 

 any gates providing means of egress or ingress, through 

 any drains, or along surface ones passing through the 

 hedgerows. These places should be properly served with 

 traps, and, in addition, they should be set about the outside 

 rows of coops. It is, however, very little use employing 

 traps at all unless they be carefully set at first and 

 regularly looked after. Of course, this means taking 

 trouble ; but to an extent this may be avoided if the coops 



