262



Post Mortem Examinations.



POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS.



RULES.


Each bird must be forwarded, as soon after death as possible, carefully packed and postage

paid, direct to Mr. Arthur Gill, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Establishment, Bexley Heath,

Kent, and must be accompanied by a letter containing the fullest particulars of

the case. Domestic poultry, pigeons, and Canaries cannot be dealt with. If a reply

by post is required a fee of 2/6 must be enclosed.



Diamond Sparrow (Mr. A. Cummings). [Your bird was much emaciated, and died of

syncope. The wing was considerably out of gear, inasmuch as the clavicle had been

fractured and never united again].


Waxwing (Mr. W. H. St. Quinlin). In owner’s possession over three years, was in per¬

fect health and was paired, constantly showing off to and feeding its mate. For two

days was dull and mopey, gradually got worse, and died. It had no symptoms of fits.

[Your bird died of acute inflammation of the bowels. No doubt your feeding is cor¬

rect as it has agreed with your bird for so long - . There was no food to be found when

examined post mortem. I should say probably a chill may have caused it. It was a

male].


Californian Quail, hen (Rev. R. H. Wilmot). Has been in an aviary with a cock and

another hen and two Parrakeets. There have been a good many eggs for a month

or more, but no nest has ever been made by either hen. P'or a few days she was ailing

and gradually grew worse until she died. [Your bird died of inflammation of the

oviduct owing to the retention of a broken egg. I frequently found the hen Quails

lay their eggs about, but as soon as I found one egg I made a nice bit of cover with

bushes, or sometimes by leaning a piece of wood against the wall in the aviary, under

which I would scoop out a hole, say 8 inches deep, in the damp soil, and line it with

hay, and as the eggs were laid so they were put into the nest, and, invariably, by the

time the third egg was laid the bird would have taken to the nest. But I never kept

more than one hen with one cock, and I must say that I have successfully reared

scores of young birds],


Gouldian, hen (Mrs. Goiter). Died quite suddenly in the night; it did not seem to see

very well. [Your bird died of cerebral meningitis caused by an injury].


Yellow Budgerigar (Mr. W. Williams). Found dead; no sign, as far as we could tell, of

illness. [Your bird died of an apoplectic fit. It is difficult to say why these birds,

especially during the breeding season, are so subject to apoplexy. When I was

breeding these birds, I would frequently remove the seed boxes for a day or two, and

scatter the seed about the aviary floor, so that they had to work for their living.

They do themselves very well, and, unless in large aviaries, cannot get the necessary

exercise. I sold a large flock of these birds to a lady member of our Society, and I

have lately heard that they are breeding freely].


Australian Green-winged Dove (Mr. W. J. Lewis). Died this morning; two days ago

was found on the ground unable to walk or fly, with apparently no power to swallow.

[Concussion of the brain from injury, the skull being dented in, which caused

pressure on the brain],


Whvdah (Mr Chas. L. Rothera). In outdoor aviary; a few days ago it became Iump5 r ,

sat on the ground with its head under its wing. [Pneumonia was the cause of death].


Budgerigar (Mr. B. Mason). In cold room all the winter. [Acute pneumonia was the

cause of death].


Grey Parrot (Mrs. Barber). In owner’s possession about three weeks ; at first it was fed

on soaked maize, as dealer advised, but afterwards on hemp, canary, wheat, and dari.

It had diarrhoea and seemed to lose its appetite; was kej . warm, and given a few

drops of brandy and chalk. [Your bird died of enteritis. I find newly imported

birds do best on boiled flat maize, prepared fresh every day, as a staple food, and

gradually, in the course of a few weeks, get them on to 1 mixture of canary, millet,

oats, wheat, and dari. I do not give much, if any, hemp, unless I find a bird going

thin, in which case you will find hemp very useful, but if given in quantity it is liable

to darken the beautiful delicate grey color of the healthy bird. For diarrhoea, I find

clilorodyne and chalk in the drinking water, or tamalbin in pill form, the best

remedies. I have reared, or rather acclimatized, 27 out of 28 in one season, but I, of

course, bought thoroughly healthy birds to commence with].



ARTHUR GILL-



