3B2 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and respiratory organs. Prof. Jeffrej'^ Bell, in ' The Zoologist' for 

 July, 1887, p. 265, noticed in some specimens a marked inflam- 

 mation of the walls of the intestine, in others a congested state 

 of the liver. 



In 'The Field' of December 6th, 1873, p. 593, there is a 

 reference to a passage printed in the ' Oriental Sporting Magazine' 

 of January, 1829, and copied from the ' Greenock Advertiser,' so 

 that it was probably first published in 1828 — that is to say, sixty 

 years ago — to the following effect : — 



" Having heard a great deal said about a destructive disease spreading 

 devastation among the moor game of this district, we have taken some 

 trouble to inquire into the truth of the report, and, having ascertained it to 

 be correct, we afterwards caused some inquiries to be made into the nature 

 of the malady. From Mr. Wallace, a well-known adept in sporting matters 

 in this immediate neighbourhood, several Grouse, in a state of complete 

 emaciation, were sent to town. These were carefully dissected by one of 

 our medical friends, and the disease found in all of them to be tapeworm. 

 It is quite astonishing to observe the extent to which the disease can exist 



in the feathered tribe before causing death Some years ago, when a 



similar disease was prevalent, Mr. Wallace caused many specimens to be 

 examined, and in some of them life had been protracted in the animals 

 even after the worms had penetrated the intestines, twisted round their 

 outer coats, and produced such extensive suppuration in the cavity of the 

 abdomen, that the intestines literally floated in pus or matter." 



Now, the question presents itself. What is the cause of these 

 anatomical lesions ? It is well known that there are a good many 

 theories concerning the cause of the Grouse disease ; they have 

 very ably been put together and analysed by Mr. Macdonald in his 

 book on Grouse disease, quoted above. Of these theories three 

 deserve special reference : — The first of these was put forth by 

 Dr. Farquharson, who maintained — without, however, adducing 

 any definite facts to prove it — that Grouse disease belongs to the 

 category of infectious diseases. The second view is that advanced 

 by the late Prof. Cobbold, to the effect that Strongylus pergracilis 

 in the intestine is the cause of Grouse disease. And the third 

 view may be considered contained in the passage quoted above 

 from the ' Greenock Advertiser' of 1828. Other theories, such 

 as overstocking, inclement season, insufficient and bad food, &c., 

 are more or less of the nature of secondary influences, such as 

 are known in other infectious diseases to increase or decrease the 



