44 



Practical Game Preserving. 



that gapes receives its name from the continued gaping of 

 the chicks affected. This is due to the presence of some 

 small worms, termed in general, entozoa, within the wind- 

 pipe. They are usually from six to nine in number and 

 congregate in a small knot, so as considerably to obstruct 

 the passage of air. To remedy this, the chick gapes, thereby, 

 doubtless, causing the worms to partially separate, when 

 it again breathes with greater freedom until the worms 

 again form up, and another gape becomes necessary. In 

 time, the increase of size and strength in the worm, and 

 failure of energy in the afflicted bird, with inflammation in 

 its throat, contribute to render the gaping impossible, and 

 it quickly suffocates. In the case of very young birds, the 

 disease soon kills, but after the chicks are six or seven 

 weeks old, they have acquired greater power to cope with 

 the malady, and may struggle against it for some time, but 

 sooner or later it is sure to prove fatal. 



The origin of the gape-worm is undecided, but there 

 seems little doubt in the minds of scientists who have given 

 the matter their consideration, that it is parasitical in other 

 forms of being prior to its entry supposed to be through 

 the nostrils into the wind-pipe of the pheasant chicks. 

 Some affirm it to be born in the body of the fowl louse, 

 which equally affects the pheasant, and is thus originated 

 on the birds. Others maintain that it is present in water 

 or on the pasture. Anyhow, for the present its origin is 

 not definitely determined, and we must make up our minds 

 to combat the malady by the light we have. In the first 

 place, it may be well to state that, according to all accounts, 

 gapes is more prevalent in a warm humid season than in a 



