SCURFY LEGS IN PHEASANTS. 



143 



parts which are kept moist by the skin. They appear to 

 cause great irritation to the bird. 



'"^This disease is propagated by infection. It is seen in 

 fanciers' yards where the poultry are closely confined together. 

 The disease has been found affecting turkeys, pheasants, 

 partridges, and even small birds in aviai-ies. 



" The treatment in fowls is very simple. The legs may be 

 soaked in warm water, and the crusts removed, and the legs 

 washed with carbolic soft soap, as made for dogs ; and the 

 coops, nesting-places, perches, all cleansed with limewash, 

 scented with carbolic acid. Great care should be taken not to 



Scurfy Leg Parasite 



(Sarcoptes mutans). 



Magnified 100 diameters. 



Female, distended. 



employ as mothers any hens affected with the disease. If a 

 Cochin or other hen in the slightest degree affected with 

 scabies is employed, it is obvious that, as young birds are 

 covered by her, the parasites can readily pass from her to the 

 chicken, and the disease becomes disseminated." 



The late Mr. Home, of Hereford, a most practical 

 pheasant rearer, wrote a letter to me on the subject, in which 

 he states : 



"There is no doubt that birds hatched under Asiatic 

 mothers (feather legged) are most prone to these insects. I 

 have tried sulphur ointment, vaseline, glycerine, &c., but none 



