RUEAL ENGINEERING. 187 



Studies in avian coccidiosis. — III, Coccidiosis in the English sparrow and 

 other wild birds, P. B. Hadley (Ccnthl. Bald, [e/c], 1. AM.. Orig., 56 (1910), 

 No. 5-6, pp. 522, 523). — In comiection with the investigations previously noted 

 (E. S. R., 24, p. 187) dealing with the etiology of blackhead in turkeys several 

 species of wild and domestic birds were examined for the coccidium. 



The common occurrence of the coccidium in the intestinal tract of the com- 

 mon English sparrow was especially noteworthy. Of 72 English sparrows ex- 

 ! mined, 47 contained coccidia, although in many cases the birds were apparently 

 in good physical condition. The seasonal distribution of coccidiosis among spar- 

 rows was found to correspond with that of domestic poultry. 



" The coccidia when present were always found in the small intestine. They 

 were frequently met with in small numbers, when their presence did not appear 

 to be accompanied by any macroscopical pathological appearance. In other 

 cases, however, either the whole or small segments of the small intestines were 

 highly inflamed, and the contents blood-stained, showing that there existed 

 hemorrhages in the mucosa. In these cases, the number of coccidia was usually 

 considerable, and microscopical examination revealed the presence of large 

 numbers of desquamated epithelial cells lying free in the intestinal content. 

 The walls of the intestines were not found thickened to any great degree, and 

 other organs were apparently never affected. The liver, which is the frequent 

 seat of coccidial lesions, both in mammals and in birds, was always normal. 



"A study of the morphology of the coccidium of the sparrow demonstrated 

 that it was identical with coccidium of blackhead in turkeys, and of coccidial 

 white diarrhea of chicks. ... In order to establish the pathogenicity of the 

 coccidia from the sparrow for domestic poultry, cyst-containing material from 

 the intestines of sparrows apparently suffering from the disease was fed to 

 young chicks, with the result that coccidiosis appeared. In a similar manner 

 cyst-containing material from poultry was fed to caged sparrows, several of 

 which subsequently developed coccidiosis after an incubation period of about 13 

 days. 



" Further examinations showed that the parasites were often present in the 

 field sparrow (Spisella pusilla), a white throated sparrow (Zonotrichia alU- 

 collis), junco (Junco hycmalis), hermit thrush (Turdus avnalaschkw pallasii), 

 and robin (Merula migratoria) . They were of common occurrence in both 

 quail (Colinus virginiamis) and grouse (Bonaso umhellus), and in these birds 

 a severe coccidiosis was often present, especially in birds in the vicinity of a 

 poultry plant. It is believed that certain epidemics among both quail and 

 grouse in the United States may be due to coccidiosis." 



Coccidiosis was also observed in the partridge woodpecker (Colaptes auratus 

 luteus). The author states that what is thought to be the merozoite or spore- 

 zoite stage of the coccidium has been observed in the blood of English sparrows 

 by F. G. Novy of the University of Michigan. 



RURAL ENGINEERINi>. 



Blowing stumps with dynamite, G. Roberts {Kentucky Sta. Bui. 151}, pp. 

 19-31, figs. //). — Directions for blowing stumps with dynamite are followed by 

 statements of the results of tests of the efficiency and economy of this method. 

 Fifty per cent dynamite was used in most of the work but 40 per cent proved 

 satisfactory when used on some of the dead stumps. 



Over 100 stumps having an average diameter of 16 in. were blown at London, 

 Ky. The average number of sticks of dynamite used was 2.6, the average time 

 required per stump 30 minutes, the average cost of material 25.7 cts. and the 

 average total cost per stump 33 cts. Nearly all the stumps were dead oak. 



22214°— No. 2—12 7 



