26 



poet fIDortem IReport. 



{^jde Rules). 



NlGHTiNGAi^E, cock. (The Hon. Mary C. Hawke). This bird 

 had been ill a long time, and from having been very fat 

 gradually got so thin that at the time of its death it was 

 extremely emaciated. For some time previous to its death 

 it had been holding up its right leg, and a slight swelling 

 on the hock was seen to get larger. 



External examination shewed the vent feathers to be 

 matted together with dried liquid excreta. On opening the 

 body the liver and intestines were found to be much con- 

 gested, and in the substance of the liver were multitudes 

 of minute caseous spots. The spleen was greatly enlarged, 

 so much so that in order to be accommodated in the 

 abdominal cavity it was towards the upper end doubled 

 upon itself at slightly less than a right angle. {Vide the 

 report on a Rock Thrush, page 20 of Vol. IV., and again 

 on page 37, ibid). This enlargement was due to the 

 coalescence of the cheesy nodules so characteristic of the 

 advanced stage of Septicaemia. The hock swelling also 

 proved to be a septicsemic deposit. 



A lay member of the Council, who happened to be visit- 

 ing me at the time, was much interested in the different 

 stages of the examination, and made some comments on 

 the ver}' decided implications met with some time ago in 

 certain papers to the effect that this disease does not attack 

 insectivorous birds. 



I may say that this Nightingale had been fed on yelk of 

 egg- 

 [The owners of other birds sent to me have been communicated 



with by post.] 



W. Gko. Crkswri,!.. 



