62 



Their contents showed swarms of septic l)acilli. The 

 excreta, therefore, would form a ready medium for 

 infecting other birds. The spores of this bacilhis are 

 everywhere common and woukl find a congenial environ- 

 ment for development in either dirty di inking vessels or 

 animal food. 



Budgerigar. (Mr. Wilson). The cause of death was con- 

 gestion of the brain, mechanically caused by the pressure 

 on the jugular vein of a large fatty tumour weighing 65 

 grains and filling iip the angle between the neck and the 

 anterior ])ortion of the sternum. 



Bengali, nestling.* (Miss Brooksbank). Cause of death 

 obscure. It was fat, but died probably of hunger and 

 starvation, as the stomach was quite empty, and the 

 intestines partially so. 



Pennant's Parrakeet, cock. (Mr. vSalter). This bird died 

 of biliary congestion of the liver and septic blood poison- 

 ing. The contents of the cloaca and intestines were 

 swarming with both cocci and septic bacilli. In addition 

 there was in both lungs alike a large tumour, the nature of 

 which can onh' be determined later on after hardening, 

 etc. I may say, however, that there were no tubercle 

 bacilli present, in either the lungs or any other of the 

 tissues, and that on various grounds I at present consider 

 the tumours to be cancerous. 



REDRUMP, hen. (Mr, Wilson). Acute infectious septicaemia. 

 The contents of the crop and intestines, and also the lung 

 exudation, were swarming with septic organisms. 



Linnet, hen. Three years old, and caught as a brancher. Last 

 summer this bird was caged up and fed for eight weeks 

 nearly exclusively on inga seed, having onh' a little 

 canary seed occasionally. She was then put back into an 

 exposed out-door aviary (all wire except the roof) where she 

 remained till February 17th last. On that date she was 

 caged again and fed from time to time with (human) 

 tuberculous matter intimately mixed with her food and 

 water. On May 3rd she was killed by a cat, who knocked 

 the cage down and inflicted a small wound in the region of 

 the left kidney, P.M. appearances : Well nourished, 

 with subcutaneous deposit of fat in the usual places and 



* Since writing the above report a more detailed examination of the 

 slides has revealed the presence in the liver and intestinal contents of some 

 giant forms of bacilli, — W. G. C. 



