Practical Game-Preserving. 248 



properly -secured rearing-field. To this end a suitable 

 expanse of old but fruitful pasture or dry meadow-land 

 should be secured. It must not be exposed to cold easterly 

 or north-easterly winds if that be the cold quarter, as it 

 invariably is and whilst being of a moderately moist 

 nature, must at the same time be well drained. The 

 space necessary can be gauged from the fact that the 

 rearing-coops should stand from 6yds. to loyds. apart 

 each way ; the more numerous the batches the greater the 

 distance apart to be allowed. The rearing-ground must 

 be securely fenced in with wire-netting, not more than 

 lin. mesh, and standing 4ft. high. The smallness of 

 mesh is required at once to keep in the young ducklings and 

 to keep out small four-footed vermin. Iron standards are 

 preferable to wooden ones, as fitting more closely to the 

 wire. When wooden are used, the ducklings not infre- 

 quently jam themselves in the corners formed between 

 wire and wood. If expense be not a very serious con- 

 sideration, sheet-iron may with advantage be fixed along 

 the bottom to the height of ift. For the ducklings during 

 the earlier weeks of their existence, water for the pur- 

 pose of swimming must be denied them; but if the 

 site for the rearing-field can be so chosen as to 

 include a small pond, which is temporarily fenced 

 off, it may sometimes prove advantageous ; but the 

 considerations afforded in this respect are not important 

 enough to warrant special expenditure upon the formation 

 of an artificial one. Where large quantities of wild duck 

 are reared, a small portable hut should be provided, if the 

 rearing-field be any serious distance from a building where 

 warmth and shelter are obtainable, and it should possess 

 a small stove to burn oil. The hut is always useful, 

 if not a necessity, as it serves for the purposes of pre- 

 paring the food, &c., and for the care of weakling birds, 



