202 " The Illustrated Book: of Poultry. 



" A similar operation may be performed for ' squirrel-tail ' (the tail pointing forward over the 

 back), but in this case the cord to be cut will be found on the top instead of at the side." 



This matter opens up, as Mr. Hinton very justly remarks, the whole question of how far it is 

 iustifmble to meddle with " exhibition birds." If we may thus surgically remove a tendency to 

 wry-tail, why not manipulate a comb or excise an extra toe .' Why not even paint a bird t We 

 confess the point is not clear, and \\hile we endeavour in this work to give the fancier every 

 assistance possible, we are not sure our conscience, any more than Mr. Hinton's, would be quite at 

 ease did we win a prize with a bird " assisted " in the manner we have described. Still, we think it 

 can be shown that there is some difference between the case now supposed and the others named. 

 They are actually wrong formations, whether of members or of plumage, and are hereditary; 

 whereas the fault in mere carriage of a member is more akin to some awkwardness in gait, and, as 

 wc can testify after breeding from such cases without even the attempt to remedy them, have no 

 particular tendency, so far as we have observed, to perpetuate themselves. They seem to belong 

 to the individual bird, and, once corrected, are " permanent improvements." A bad-combed or 

 foul-coloured bird breeds similar, or worse ; but the wry-tailed (of course we speak of cases where 

 the spine is not affected) does not, except in perhaps a few instances. It is, in fact, like an 

 operation for squinting ; which affection in man, when thus curable, is not as a rule hereditary. 

 With these remarks we must leave the question of practical morality, and his own course as 

 determined by the answer given to it, to the individual judgment of the reader. 



Deformities connected with the median line are more frequently found in Malays and Polish 

 than any other breeds. 



Mr. Hinton concludes his revision with the following remarks, which deserve to be well 

 considered : — " In the case of young growing stock, unless the bird is otherwise very promising, I 

 would strongly advise the knife as the best means of cure. If our arrangements as to feeding, &c., 

 be right, it will, as already said, be generally the weakest that suffer, and the amateur breeder 

 should count the cost. Remember that two or three weeks' illness in a young and growing chick 

 is a most serious diminisher of size, weight, and carriage, and may reduce the most promising 

 cockerel of the run to one of very inferior appearance, while it is certain deterioration to breed from 

 weakly stock ; and in the case of any contagious disease, I believe I have often stamped it out by 

 death on discovery." The danger of infection, however, we may remark, is much less than 

 formerly, as the introduction of carbolic acid and its preparations has given a power of controlling 

 these perils which before was unknown. 



It is often advisable to dissect fowls which have perished from disease, in order to ascertain 

 if possible the cause of death. We have known so little in our own yard of such cases, in spit .' 

 of the small space (si.xty-seven by thirty-five feet) which alone for some years was at our command, 

 that we confess our actual experience in this line has been very limited. We may however remark 

 that the fowl should be entirely //wcvfr./ before any extended dissection is attempted, and should 

 also be entirely cold, or blood may flow and hinder observation as to the colour of the tissues, 

 which is in many cases a very important point in determining the nature of the disease. 



The opposite illustration (Fig. 57) has been copied, by the kind permission of Professor Owen 

 from a plate in his " Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Physiological Scries in the 

 Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons," and accurately represents the relative position of the 

 principal viscera in a young cock. We give it as affording useful assistance in dissection to 

 amateurs. The proper references to the various organs are subjoined. 



