134 BIRDS. 



FLEAS. 



Fleas are a great detriment to poultry and other birds, 

 making them restless and dissatisfied, and generally hindering 

 progress. 



Treatment. — Catch up each bird and, holding it upside down, 

 dust in between the feathers a quantity of Persian powder, 

 which can be purchased in bulk of any chemist. For fowls 

 confined in a close run, a dust bath may be made with a pound 

 or two of flower of sulphur mixed with slacked lime. 



Prevention.— Cleanliness. — When fowls have been pur- 

 chased from a suspected source it is a good plan to give them a 

 bath of quassia; to prepare it, boil ^ lb. of quassia chips in three 

 or four quarts of water for a quarter of an hour. 



GAPES. 



This disease, so destructive to chicks of poultry and to 

 game birds, is caused by a parasite (sclevostoma syngamiis) 

 which specially affects low-lying land. If a dead chick is 

 opened, its wind-pipe will be found to contain a bundle of 

 these worms, which during life caused it to gasp or "gape." 



Treatment. — Remove to new and high ground, feed 

 generously, and give tonics, as saccharated carbonate of iron, 

 in the food. 



In advanced cases the only effectual remedy is to catch 

 up the birds, draw out the tongue, and, dipping a large 

 darning needle into the Elliman's, then touch the worms with 

 the point. This kills many, and the cough that follows will 

 cause more to be ejected. The writer on one occasion saved 

 a very large number of young pheasants by this means. 



Prevention. — Put the coops on fresh ground every year 

 and dress the soil in autumn with salt. 



