Pheasants Diseases. 45 



cold one, and, further, although a due regard to cleanliness 

 and disinfection of the coops and runs is to a large extent 

 preventative, too great reliance must not be placed in these 

 precautions. Pheasant rearers may, however, rest assured 

 that gapes is both preventable and curable. 



In the matter of prevention, in addition to the usual 

 precautions, a system of treating the young birds has been 

 advanced, extensively tried, and found thoroughly efficacious 

 in warding off the malady. It appears that young pheasant 

 chicks have over and over again been noticed to be afflicted 

 about the head with a species of lice, and that if these lice 

 be destroyed, the chicks are never attacked with gapes. It 

 is further put forward as a theory that these insects, whence- 

 soever acquired, provide a host for the gape-worm, which, 

 escaping from them, enters the nostril of the pheasant, and 

 thence reaches the trachea, where it takes up a permanent 

 position and grows rapidly. This, of course, is pure suppo- 

 sition, but it is a fact that those who have given the theory 

 credence have adopted the preventitive treatment recom- 

 mended, and succeeded in rearing chicks unattacked by 

 gapes, where they formerly lost large numbers. The treat- 

 ment recommended is to anoint the young pheasants with 

 the following ointment : 



Mercurial ointment ioz. 



Pure unsalted lard Ioz - 



Crude petroleum ioz. 



Flowers of sulphur i oz - 



This is gently rubbed, in a half melted condition, into the 

 head of the newly hatched chick, as soon as it is strong 



