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POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS.



RULES.


Each bird must be forwarded, as soon after death as possible, carefully packed and postage

paid, direct to Mr. Author Gill, Veterinary Establishment, Bexley Heath, Kent, and

must be accompanied by a letter containing the fullest particulars of the case.


If a reply by post (in addition to any Report that may appear in the Magazine) be required,

a stamped and addressed envelope must likewise be forwarded to Mr. Gill.


Queen Parrot. (The Rev. H. 1 ). Astley). Both this bird and her mate

have died within a few days of each other, after having bred this year,

and having been in an outdoor aviary for four years in perfect health.

[Your Parrot was much emaciated. There was extensive tubercular

deposit in both lungs and liver. The contents of intestines were much too

fluid to be normal, and doubtless your bird has suffered from diarrhoea, for

some days.


Cause of death was syncope (heart failure). No doubt nesting and

moulting have been such a strain upon the system of this bird, owing to

the tubercular disease (which is of some duration) having reduced its

strength considerably, that when diarrhoea set in exhaustion became so

extreme that the heart failed to act].


Bicheno'S Finch. (Mr. Glasscoe). Symptoms:—Stretching of the neck

when breathing, with more pronounced gasping as death approached.

Suggested :—Some formation in the neck.


[Death was due to congestion of the lungs, both of which were

involved. This condition was brought about by chill. The stretching of

the neck simultaneously with each inspiration was merely indicative of an

especial effort on the part of the sufferer to inflate the partially con¬

solidated lungs. There was no disease whatever in the throat].



Parrot-finch. (The Rev. H. D. Astley).


[Death was due to pressure on the brain from extravasated blood;

brought about, no doubt, by an injury, in all probability by coming in

contact with some object when flying].


Orange-cheeked Wax bide. (Miss Alderson). Found dead in aviary,

only a few minutes after being seen, apparently quite well.


[Your Orange-cheek died from compression of the brain, owing to a

depression in the skull caused by some injury. Your suggestion of a peck

by another bird is very feasible. The crop was full of seed and the bird

well-nourished].


King Parrot. (Mr. H. B. Smith).


TCause of death : Sub-acute enteritis, of some long standing,

probably due to injudicious feeding, or want of cleanliness during importa¬

tion. You furnish no symptoms of this bird, but only of the Oueen Parrot

which survived. In future kindly notice Rules, as in some cases the

symptoms, when given, will save a great deal of time and trouble].


SCARLET Tanager. (Mr. Watson). Showed signs of illness 24 hours after

purchase. It was then in a hanging cage out of doors, and after eating

voraciously of banana and the usual insectivorous mixture, was found

apparently dead. On being thoroughly warmed, and given a small dose

of rum, it revived and again fed greedily at 10 p.m. in a warm room.

In the morning it was dead.


[Your Tanager died of acute inflammation of the lungs, as one might

have expected if so injudiciously placed out of doors in such weather].


Grey Cardinal and Black-headed Gouldian. (Mrs. Johnstone). Both

found dead, after being in apparently good health a short time before.


[The Cardinal died of a fractured skull, and the Gouldian of acute

inflammation of the bowels]. Arthur Gill.



