WOOD-PIGEON DIPHTHEEIA. 305 



numerous than in past years ; in three of these places, 

 in northern Lincohishire, south-west Surrey and eastern 

 Morayshire — there was no evidence of disease ; in the 

 remaining five locahties — in Dorset, Gloucestershire, 

 Norfolk, Berkshire and Hertfordshire — fair numbers of 

 diseased birds were noted, except in Norfolk. 



The counties from which reports were received indicat- 

 ing a high percentage of disease were Hertfordshire, 

 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Devonshire, 

 Dorset, Gloucestershire, Sussex, Kent, and Westmoreland, 

 but the numbers in these counties did not seem to 

 approach those noted in 1907-8. Most observers agreed 

 that the numbers of immigrant Wood-Pigeons were much 

 fewer than usual, and in some places none came at all ; 

 and it seems clear from the evidence of two observers, 

 that in at least two localities the disease broke out in 

 native birds, though in a few other cases it was remarked 

 that there was no disease until migrants from elsewhere 

 appeared. Though some occurrences were recorded in 

 November and December, the majority of cases seemed 

 to have occurred in January and February. Both old 

 and young birds were noted to be affected, and one 

 observer found a nestling in November with the disease. 



The supply of acorns and beech-mast seems in most 

 places to have been an average one, but in parts of 

 Devonshire and Norfolk acorns were apparently more 

 plentiful than usual, and the same applies to the beech- 

 mast in parts of Hampshire, Gloucestershire and Devon- 

 shire. 



There was no evidence in the reports received of trans- 

 mission of the disease, and no record of any other species 

 being found dead of this disease ; and two observers 

 stated that where the disease was noted, although 

 numbers of game and other birds abounded, no birds 

 except Wood-Pigeons were found affected. 



