24 Mr. Arthur E. Shipley [Feb. 3, 



no Imcilli were found in the liver or other tissues of the grouse. 

 When the liirds harl)oured from 100-1000 round-worms, bacilli 

 occurred in the tissues of about 50 per cent, of the Idrds — bacilli let 

 out from the cavity of the intestine "by a worm's pin-prick," to 

 quote Browning's " Lovers' Quarrel." When over 1000 or more 

 worms were present, the bacilli, with one exception,* were found in 

 the Hver and in other organs of the body in 100 per cent, of the 

 birds investigated. The exact relation of these bacilli to the sickness 

 of the bird is still a matter of inquiry. It seems as if they are soon 

 absorbed and that no specific disease is traceable to them, l)ut if they 

 exist in numbers their products must exert a harmful influence. 



The existence of disease caused by the passage of these bacilli 

 through the walls of the alimentary canal through lesions caused by 

 tape-worms is less well established than through the disorganisation 

 of the lining membrane of the casca caused by T. pergracilis. On 

 the other hand, one must not overlook the fact that HymenoUpis is 

 especially numerous in the spring and autumn months, during which 

 the greatest mortality takes place, and is absent during the winter, 

 when the birds are comparatively healthy. 



It is seen that the small number of colonies of Bacillus coli which 

 can be cultivated from the tissues of a diseased grouse points to the. 

 fact that these bacteria do not multiply to any extent in the tissues. 

 Hence it would seem that no specific disease is caused by the infec- 

 tion of these l)acteria. The toxic products of the bacilli, however, 

 may lie harmful, and should the bacilli exist in great numbers there 

 is little doul)t that toxins would be produced which would have a very 

 deleterious effect on the health of the bird. 



But let us leave the bacteria and get back to the round-worms. 

 How do they get into the grouse ? Between 95 and 100 per cent, 

 of birds on different moors contain these worms. There may be as 

 many as 10,000 in round numbers in one grouse, about equally 

 divided between the two caeca. Each female worm lays hundreds 

 of eggs, which are constantly passing out of the lurd's body and lie 

 scattered all over Scotland. These eggs give rise to larvae in aliout 

 two days ; the larvae surround themselves about the eighth day with 

 a capsule or cyst and undergo a " rest cure." After a period of 

 quiescence they quickly change into a second and active larval form, 

 which in wet Aveather — a not unusual atmospheric condition in 

 Northern Britain — writhe and wriggle and creep and crawl until 

 they attain the stem and the leaves and the flowers of the heather. 

 Here these larvee wait patiently until a grouse consumes them with 

 the heather tips, and then, once inside the alimentary canal, they 

 become adult, make their way to the caeca, and in four days ripe eggs 

 are again infesting the moors. 



It is recorded that Prince Bismrack once said to Lady Randolph 

 Churchill, " Have you ever sat on the grass and examined it closely ? 

 There is enough life in one square yard to appal you." 



