550 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



under the rep:ulations of tlic past year tliev would liave been considered 

 iiifo<;tod cattle. The cattle tVoni east of this line might be allowed to 

 ^o into other States and Territories as usual, provided they are restricted 

 to well-delined trails and are not allowed to go U[)on the ranges of sus- 

 ceptibk"" cattle until three months have elaj)sed since they were driven 

 from the infected country. During the winter months there would be 

 Qo necessity for any restrictions. 



To show the number of Texas cattle west of this preliminary line that 

 may bo allowed to move anywhere without restrictions, I a[)i)end the 

 following table, which gives the cattle in those counties asses.sed lor the 

 ;^'ear 1SS5, as compiled from the records of the State and certilied toby 

 the comptroller : 



As the total number of cattle assessed in Texas for the year ISSi) 

 was 0,030,001, it will be seen tiiat nearly one-fourth of these are in the 

 district west of the preliminary line referred to above. 



THE GAPE DISEASE OF FOWLS. 



In the fii'st annual report of this Hurean a complete translation was 

 given of M. IMegnin's paper on the sijngamiis irachcalis ami the disease 

 which it causes. After the jiublicatioii of that report Dr. 11. D. Walker, 

 of Franklinville, N. Y., called our attention to the fact that he had been 

 making some investigations of this subject which had led him to con- 

 clusions that would very greatly modify the generally accepted views 

 as to the manner in which the parasite gains access* to the body of the 

 host, and also in regard to measures of i)reveutiou. To obtain addi- 

 tional light upon this important question Dr. Walker was employed to 

 repeat his exjierimeuts, to furnish material with which control exper- 

 iments might bo madtt in the laboratory of this Bureau, and to sup- 



