Reports to tlic Board of A ^riciiltitrc. 1 75 



^^'e do not know the life-historv of any of the three detiuite 

 Grouse Cestodes. 



Mr. Munro Eerguson shouhl he informed that it is not at all 

 necessary to kill off all his rabbits because of grouse disease, as there 

 is no connection between Avian and Eal)bit tapeworms, whicli was 

 thought to Ite the case owing to envious i>«/7antrf-like cysticercoid 

 forms being found in rabbits. 



In all cases where tli(> life-history of Avian tapeworms have been 

 traced out, the intermediate host has proved to be a slug {LimH.c). 

 snail (Ifeli':), insect or earthworm for land birds, water insects, or 

 Crustacea for ducks and other water fowl. Probably tlie Grouse 

 Gostod(;s have a similar life-history. The same applies to slice]*; 

 there can be no connecting the Monie:.ia>i of sheep and the J^ccainra, 

 etc., of Ijirds. 



The ^NcTiiatode [)arasites of grouse should l)e iuNcstigalcd botli m 

 diseased and healthy birds. As an example of the diffei'ent etfect of 

 ihese two groups of parasites upon their host, the rabbit may be 

 mentioned. This rodent is frequently heavily infested with ta}>e- 

 A\ orms, and yet li^■es on apparently unharmed ; now and then eases 

 of great mortality amongst rabbits have been investigated, and the 

 cause readily traced to t^trongijlidm [ride Ifeport Journ. S. E. Agri. 

 Coll., no. 8, p. GO, etc.). 



Dr. Cobbold believed grouse disease to be due, anyhow, in part to 

 a small intestinal >b'tiv/ii/>/le, but this matter does not seem to have 

 been definitely worked out. 



(Jn certain moors there are undoubtedly epidemic^ of tapeworm 

 wliicli, by virtue of tlieir numbers, do kill off the young birds. 



l*rol)ably there are several factors which are tlie cause of grouse 

 disease — ento/oa, bacteria., degenerated stock. 



The disease or diseases are encouraged by (I) destruction of 

 animals an^l birds of ])r('y. and (2) overstocking. 



