PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



localities, especially if the same rearing - ground is used 

 season after season, enteric being a trouble that seems to 

 taint the ground for an almost indefinite period, its appear- 

 ance upon certain estates being followed by its reappearance 

 during succeeding years, until the disease seems to finally 

 exhaust itself. Some game-rearers are much more fortunate 

 than others as regards this malady. The author now refers 

 to those to whom it is unknown. 



Infectious enteric is most prevalent in damp situations. 

 If the rearing season happens to be accompanied by a good 

 deal of wet weather the chances are that this disastrous 

 ailment will make its appearance, but that it can do so 

 without the existence of infection, direct or indirect, animate 

 or inanimate, would be to accept a doctrine as erroneous in 

 theory and practice as one could possibly conceive. There 

 is every reason for believing that this malady arises 

 through the presence of micro-organisms or germs gaining 

 an entrance to the digestive tract, either through the food, 

 drinking water, feeding off infected ground, or some other 

 agency that has been previously infected with the organisms 

 of this disease. It is quite a tenable theory that birds, 

 various rodents, as well as the hands and clothing of man, 

 also the various appliances of the pheasantry, such as coops, 

 water-troughs, and feeding-vessels, may all of them act as 

 carriers of the contagion. 



O 



The domestic fowl is very often the medium for the 

 introduction of this deadly malady into the game-rearer's 

 establishment, therefore it is impossible to be too careful in 

 the selection of broody hens — in fact, every game-rearer 

 ought to insist on a clean bill of health from the 

 purchaser. 



Pheasants from a few hours after being hatched up to 

 adult birds are liable to enteric, but it is particularly liable 



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