'Ware Wire
Wire netting is the cause of many a tragedy to young pheasants. One may
see it stretching for miles on the fringe of woods as a fence against
rabbits. Suppose a hen pheasant, with her brood, has been making an
excursion to the fields. She comes to the wire and finds her return
passage barred. Seeing that most of her little ones have wriggled
through the meshes, the mother flies over, and goes on. But as often
as not she leaves behind her one or two chicks, and these the flower
of her flock--for they are the ones so well grown as to be just too
large to pass through the meshes. Sooner or later, after fluttering
to find a loophole, the little necks become caught, and after a few
frantic struggles the chicks hang themselves. Or night comes on, and
some prowling vermin saves them from a slow death by exhaustion through
their vain efforts.
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