204



Correspondence.



It is well to commence the treatment by administering a drop or two of olive

oil, and, when the abdomen is inflamed, it should be painted with warm turpen¬

tine. In the drinking-water put ten drops of tincture of opium and the same

quantity of tincture of belladonna, with two or three drops of dissolved gum arabic

and glycerine.


If the health of the bird improves under this treatment, it is best to com¬

plete the cure by a mild tonic—a rusty nail in the drinking-water will do.


A. G. Butler.



THE SCOTTISH ZOOLOGICAL PARK.


Dear Dr. Renshaw, — The birds in the Park are at present in very good

condition. The King Penguins are particularly healthy and are not suffering from

any disease. The trouble with mycosis is in the newly imported birds, which

usually arrive in comparatively poor condition owing to the strain upon them of

the long voyage. Few people probably realise how much difficulty is met with

in bringing the birds from the far south. A sufficient stock of dried fish has to

be taken out to provide food for them, and it was only by the generosity of Messrs.

Salvesen & Co., who incurred great expense in the matter, and by great care and

trouble on the part of the captain and crew, that two lots of birds were brought

over successfully. In each consignment one or two birds were infected with

mycosis, and as unfortunately no means as yet have been found of treating it

successfully, they died shortly after their arrival. The others were apparently

free from infection, and have had remarkably good health ever since they came,

which in the case of the first consignment was over four years ago.


I have not noticed any marked change of colour in the Spotted Emu, and

doubt very much whether there is any specific difference between the three Emus

in the Park. The Emus have lately laid a number of eggs, but none of them

shows any sign of sitting, and so I fear that they are all females. We have

the reverse difficulty with our Rheas, all of which I fear are males; we had the

misfortune to lose one or two females which we formerly had. The cause of

death was apparently in each case a stoppage of the intestines by masses of un¬

digested grass, and I should be very glad to know whether anyone who keeps

Rheas has experienced this difficulty with them. The deaths have always

occurred in winter, when the grass is lacking in sap.


We are hoping for good breeding results this season among our Water-

fowl, and a pair of Cereopsis Geese are already nesting. We shall probably have

some interesting hybrids among the Ducks. We bred last year some hybrids

between the British Widgeon and Gadwall; they turned out almost exactly like

Chiloe Widgeon. You probably know that we have three hybrids between the

Australian Black Swan and the Canadian Goose.


I shall look forward to seeing you this summer.


With kind regards, I am, yours sincerely,


T. H. Gillespie,


Corstorpliine Hill House, Director-Secretary.


Murrayfield, Edinburgh, IF.;


March 26th, 1918.



