DISEASES OF POULTRY. 281 



for " consumption," such as warmth and cooling, open- 

 ing food. 



GOUT. 



THIS disorder is less common among fowls than il 

 would be, were it not that they are seldom allowed to 

 live long enough for it to make its appearance, since it 

 rarely attacks any except those which are rather old. 

 It manifests itself by swelling of the joints, but it is, in 

 most cases, not worth while to attempt a remedy. Sul- 

 phur, mixed with scalded bran, or soaked bread, may be 

 given with advantage. 



OBSTRUCTION OF THE RUMP GLAND. 



IT has already been mentioned, under the head of 

 " roup," that this term is sometimes applied improperly 

 to obstruction of the rump gland. Even Moubray says, 

 "imposthume upon the rump is called roup'' Before 

 giving the correct view of this gland, it may be as well 

 to state the common and very erroneous notion of it 

 from Clater. 



" It is well known," says he, " that there is a little 

 tubercle, or projection, on the rump of every bird, and 

 which is filled with oily matter. Its use is to smooth 

 and give a glossy appearance to the feathers, and more 

 particularly to make them water-tight. When rain is 

 coming, every bird is diligently employed in squeezing 

 out the greasy fluid, and rubbing it over the whole 

 surface of his feathery coat, and then the drops of rain 

 trickle off without penetrating through, or in the slightest 

 degree inconveniencing him." 



In order to prove the inaccuracy of this popular and 

 plausible notion, it will scarcely be requisite, as M. 

 Reaumur justly remarks, to show how little the quan- 

 tity of oil that may be daily supplied by the rump gland 

 is, in proportion to the extent of surfaces resulting from 

 the assemblage of the numberless feathers with which a 

 hen or a duck is covered; nor how long a time would 

 be necessary to enable the gland to supply a quantity of 

 the oil sufficiently to besmear the surface of only one of 

 th<?ae feathers. In order to explode a notion so uni- 



