PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



of controlling the spread of this complaint, so that isolation 

 can be carried out. It is no use to begin to isolate young 

 Pheasants when the trouble is running north, south, east, 

 and west of the coops. If the game-rearer keeps his eyes 

 and his ears open he ought to have the disease in check 

 ere it has had time to spread, but negligence coupled with 

 ignorance will soon disseminate the trouble amongst the 

 whole of the young birds, and such dissemination will very 

 likely be followed by that of a closely allied word, decima- 

 tion, or something still worse. The most economical plan, if 

 only a few birds are affected, is to destroy them and burn 

 their bodies. Coops should then be thoroughly disinfected 

 and changed to high and dry ground. It is a very good 

 plan when this affection makes its appearance to shift the 

 whole of the coops to fresh ground, and to thoroughly 

 disinfect all the feeding-vessels and water-troughs. The 

 author strongly believes that by the timely adoption of 

 precautionary measures this troublesome scourge can be 

 curtailed at its outset. It is customary amongst Pheasant- 

 rearers to resort to the use of various volatile substances, 

 either as a direct application to the windpipe or for the 

 purpose of fumigation. Oil of eucalyptus, terebene, spirits 

 of camphor, asafoetida, garlic, turpentine, menthol, paraffin, 

 and a variety of other substances are employed. Sulphurous 

 acid gas is occasionally used to fumigate the affected birds, 

 but it requires very great care, otherwise the young birds 

 will be suffocated. Iodine vapour is a tolerably good 

 remedy, and can be used in the following way : — First of all 

 place the birds in a small air-tight shed, and then take a 

 spirit lamp over which a shallow tin saucer is placed. On 

 this deposit half an ounce of iodine crystals and apply a 

 light to the lamp, so adjusting the saucer that steady 

 fumes of iodine vapour will gradually permeate the air in 



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