272 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Mr. Eeginald Foster, of Amberley, writes to the Christchnrch papers in 

 July last, in reference to a mortality among sheep in some districts of 

 Canterbury, supposed to have been caused by worms. He says : " On 

 Friday last, at the farm of Mr. James Guild, of Ohoka, I examined some 

 hoggets which had apparently died from scour. I found that the lungs were 

 in a highly diseased state, and opening the bronchial tubes I discovered 

 several white thread-like worms about one inch in length. I also found a 

 considerable number of these parasites in the air passages of the lungs. 

 With the exception of a little inflammation in the intestines, caused no 

 doubt by the diarrhoea from which all these hoggets had suffered, the rest 

 of the internal organs were perfectly healthy. Mr. Guild has recently lost a 

 considerable number of hoggets, and there is little doubt that these worms 

 were the cause of their death. So far as I can learn, this disease, well known 

 in England, has not as yet been noticed in New Zealand, but I think it is 

 highly probable that it has been one of the causes of the heavy mortality in 

 young stock, especially in hoggets and calves, from which stock-owners have 

 suffered for several seasons past. The remedial treatment recommended is 

 turpentine, in doses of a quarter of an ounce, given in oil. A simple and 

 more direct remedy is to make the sheep inhale fumes of sulphur in a shed. 

 In advanced cases, where diarrhoea has set in, some medicine to act on the 

 stomach would also be necessary." 



The remarks of Inspector Eeginald Foster, in the concluding part of his 

 report are worthy of notice : 



"I think that future investigations should be directed towards noticing 

 the earliest stages of the disease, by watching the young stock on farms 

 known to be infected, at what rate the disease progresses, so as to form an 

 opinion as to when is the best time to use remedial measures. Several 

 breeders of stock who have taken some trouble to investigate this disease 

 agree with me, that when the cough is bad and is accompanied by diarrhoea 

 the malady is in too advanced a stage to hope much from remedial measures. 

 So far as my knowledge of the bronchial disease goes at present, I am 

 strongly of the opinion that breeders of stock in low-lying districts, to which 

 the disease appears to be almost entirely confined, should put their weaners 

 through a course of inhalation of the fumes of sulphur about the month 

 of April; this remedy is known to be effectual and is very inexpensive, two 

 men could put 400 or 500 hoggets through in half a day." 



Mr. Charles C. Boyes, in writing to Mr. E. Foster, Amberley, says : " Since 

 writing you I am glad to say my sheep are fast recovering, and I have only 

 one death to record. I have persevered in the sulphur treatment, in which 

 I have great faith, and I am now quite certain that it will cure the bronchial 

 disease in its earlier stage. I tried the oil and turpentine in a few cases. 



