NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 387 



them, when Lord Walsingham, in the interests of sport, as well 

 as of science, in July, 1879, offered two prizes for the best essays 

 comprising complete life-histories of the entozoic parasites to 

 which the disease called "gapes" and the "grouse-disease" have 

 been attributed. The Council of the Entomological Society was 

 asked to award the prizes, and one of the two received essays 

 on "gapes" is that by Dr. P. Megnin, the well-known French 

 helminthologist, which, in an English dress, is now before us. 

 We say in an English dress', because in the year following the 

 announcement of the competition — namely, in 1880 — Dr. Megnin 

 published his treatise in the ' Bulletin de la Societe Zoologique 

 de France,' from the pages of which we had just commenced a 

 translation of the essay for publication in this journal, when we 

 learnt that an English version was already in progress, or at 

 least in contemplation. Having read it in its original form, 

 and having now glanced over the English translation, we lose no 

 time in recommending its perusal to all naturalists and sportsmen 

 who vaay read these lines. 



They will not find it by any means dry or unprofitable 

 reading ; for the essay discloses a very singular state of things, 

 which has been brought to light by the patient research of 

 Dr. Megnin, and places in a clear light all that has been hitherto 

 ascertained in regard to the life-history of Syngamus trachealis, 

 as this curious entozoic parasite is called. 



The accompanying plates, on which are coloured figures of 

 the entozoa magnified, and a section of the trachea of a Pheasant 

 as it appears with the parasites attached, enable one to form an 

 excellent notion of the nature of the disease, and of the serious 

 consequences to the birds which are attacked by it. 



The attacks are not confined to Pheasants, for it appears that 

 Syngamus trachealis has been discovered in the tracheae of the 

 Magpie, Swift, Starling, Green Woodpecker, Partridge, and Black 

 Stork, as well as in various breeds of domestic poultry. 



After tracing its life -history, Dr. Megnin points out the 

 various modes in which the disease may be spread, and concludes 

 by detailing several modes of treatment. Every sportsman who 

 rears Pheasants should procure a copy of this essay and discuss 

 it with the head-keeper. If experiments are then made next 

 " hatching out" season, it would be interesting to receive reports 

 of the results obtained. 



