132 PHEASANTS FOB COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



instantly, and so preventing their affecting others. In all 

 cases in which birds are destroyed to prevent the spread 

 of any infectious disease, the greatest care should be taken 

 not to leave the dead bodies exposed. If this be done, 

 the disease is almost certain to extend; it has been proved 

 to do so in the case of birds dying with tuberculous livers, 

 "gapes," and other diseases. The bodies should, if possible, 

 always be burned. If that is impracticable, they should 

 be buried deeply in some part of the ground where there 

 are no fowls or pheasants. Hanging the dead bodies of 

 diseased birds in trees to produce a supply of gentles is 

 exceedingly objectionable. 



Scrofulous diseases, such as tubercles in the lungs and 

 liver, are the result of breeding from weak stock, from over- 

 crowding on the same ground, and from close interbreeding. 

 The remedies suggest themselves; all that is required is the 

 employment of strong, healthy stock birds, the removal to 

 fresh untainted ground, and, if necessary, an introduction 

 of fresh blood into the aviary or preserves. 



The most troublesome and fatal disease known as the 

 " gapes," is caused by the presence of small red worms in the 

 trachea or windpipe. For the first careful demonstration of 

 the cause of this disease we are indebted to the late Dr. 

 Spencer Cobbold, who contributed the account of its history 

 and treatment to the Linnasan Society, from which the 

 following abstract is taken : 



"This parasite," writes Dr. Cobbold, has been found 

 in the trachea of the following birds, namely, the turkey, 

 domestic fowl, pheasant, partridge, duck, lapwing, black 

 stork, magpie, hooded crow, green woodpecker, starling, 

 sparrow, martin, linnet, crow, rook, and swift. 



" My attention was recently directed to a small, almost 

 feathei'less chicken suffering from the ' gapes.' The bird 

 belonged to a brood between six and seven weeks old. The 

 healthy birds had attained considerable size, and averaged 

 9| ounces ; the infested chicken weighed only 4 ounces; but. 



