Practical Game-Preserving. 



166 



In addition to this enclosure it will be necessary to erect 

 a series of small hatching-pens, i4ft. by Qft., formed of 

 sod walls, something upon the plan shown at Fig. 24. The 

 idea worked out under this scheme is that as the birds pair 

 they find their way into the small corner pens (Fig. 25), 

 when they are caught up and transferred to the separate 

 pens in the series. Here they brood, hatch off, and are 

 maintained for eight or ten days, when the old birds are 

 caught up, the pinioning removed, and placed in a small 

 rearing-coop. This should be done in the late afternoon, 



Door. 



Door. 



Door. 



Entrance. 



Fig. 25. Plan of Partridge Enclosure with Corner Pens. 



so that the old birds call in the young, and the birds roost 

 in the coop. Before daybreak next day the coop is removed 

 to the field a cornfield for preference, and so arranged 

 that by means of a long cord the coop can be opened at 

 daybreak, when the old birds lead their brood out. The 

 long cord, &c., is necessary, as the birds must not see the 

 person who liberates them. 



The pens erected in the series should have open wire- 

 netting fronts, turfed up to a height of i8in. or 2ft., and 

 be each provided with a small gate, preferably of wood. 

 The tops should be covered in with bird-proof wire- or 



