PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



One feature of particular interest in connection with the 

 ingestion of poisonous substances by Pheasants is the total 

 absence of inflammatory signs in any portion of the digestive 

 tract, excepting that of the intestines. In all probability 

 this is explicable on the ground of the actual absorption or 

 digestion of nutriment carried on in this portion of the 

 alimentary canal. All the juices are extracted from the food 

 in the gizzard by the severe muscular contractions, assisted 

 by the grit, of this organ. 



Ivy Poisoning 



Cases of poisoning in Pheasants through the consumption 

 of Ivy berries have on several occasions been recorded ; 

 but why the birds should partake of this, as in the case of 

 the Yew tree leaves, is as yet a mystery unexplained. The 

 berries of Ivy act as a gastro-intestinal irritant, provoking 

 acute inflammation of the bowels, and a speedy death. The 

 only positive evidence as to death having been thus caused 

 is that afforded by the discovery of the Ivy berries in the 

 crop, or else in the gizzard, in conjunction with acute inflam- 

 mation of the bowels. In addition to this, there may be 

 evidence of the birds having a feed of the berries of the Ivy 

 in some adjacent garden, or the birds may have been picked 

 up dead close to the place where the Ivy is growing. 

 These and other facts have all to be considered by an 

 observant gamekeeper, in cases where he finds isolated 

 instances of death amongst his birds. 



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