126 DR. T. S. COBBOLD ON NEW OR RARE ENTOZOA. [Feb. 3, 



7. Ascaris maculosa (Rud.). (Plate XVIII. figs. 7-10.) 



On the 9th of October, 1873, I received a letter from Dr. J. 

 Alexander Macdonald, of Woburn, Bedfordshire, stating that he had 

 forwarded to me a pigeon which had been found dead on the previous 

 morning. It seems that the owner of the bird had erected a large 

 pigeon-house, and had imported a number of Antwerp Smerles, these 

 birds all continuing in a perfect state of health until about a week 

 before the above-mentioned date, when, to use Dr. Macdonald's 

 words, " first one and then another was attacked, and so on, until 

 four or five of the pigeons had died after a few hours' illness." The 

 suddenness of these attacks not unnaturally suggested poisoning ; 

 and, accordingly, says my informant, the owner " had the curiosity 

 to open one of the birds, when, to his astonishment, he found the 

 intestines stuffed with worms." 



Under these circumstances I was invited to make an accurate in- 

 spection of the pigeon forwarded to me, likewise to report the results 

 of my examination, and to suggest any remedial or prophylactic 

 measures which might be likely to prove useful. 



Two days later I received a letter from Dr. Macdonald stating that 

 several others of the flock had died, and it further appeared to him 

 probable that the daily list of sick and dying would continue to 

 increase. On the 14th of the month my informant reported that 

 three more of the birds were dead ; but this mortality still left twenty- 

 five birds in the owner's possessson, some of which were affected. 

 Under these circumstances I lost no time in forwarding a full report 

 of the facts observed, together with the recommendation that a few 

 grains of santonine should be mixed with the food. Speaking of the 

 birds seen on the 14th October, Dr. Macdonald says that " one which 

 appeared in a hopeless state was at once treated (by the owner) to 

 two grains of santonine ; " and when my informant saw the bird in 

 the afternoon of the same day " it had so far recovered as to be 

 hopping about and picking up food." On the 4 th of the following 

 November the same correspondent obligingly informed me that the 

 epidemic had been "at last mastered." It seems that altogether 

 twelve birds had perished, the remainder now appearing perfectly 

 healthy. 



It is not stated whether the final and satisfactory result appeared 

 to be due to the administration of the remedies I had recommended ; 

 but, in any case, the cessation of the disorder following so close upon 

 the employment of santonine is worthy of being noticed. I had 

 almost hoped that my report, in the interests of science, would 

 be published ; but, so far as I am aware, such has not been the 

 case. In regard, however, to the dissection (upon which that report 

 was mainly based), I have felt sure that the scientific and practical 

 data it supplied were of sufficient interest to be placed on permanent 

 record. The necessary dissections and microscopic examinations 

 were made on the 9th and 10th of October, whilst the bird was per- 

 fectly fresh. The blood, muscles, and cellular tissues, and every 

 organ of the body, apart from the digestive apparatus, were found to 

 be thoroughly healthy ; and it was only when the alimentary canal 



