66 THE PIGEON BOOK 



and travel from exhibition to exhibition. The disease is 

 really a form of apoplexy, and is sometimes called vertigo. 

 It is a condition of delirium, the bird shaking its head and 

 twisting its neck, and frequently falling down in a some- 

 what fainting condition, this peculiar condition particularly 

 being more marked when the birds attempt to pick up their 

 food or are in a stooping position. The difference between 

 apoplexy — to which I have devoted an earlier chapter — 

 and megrims is that in the case of apoplexy there is the 

 bursting of a blood-vessel on the brain, whereas in vertigo 

 or megrims there is a pressure on the brain due to some 

 specific brain affection, or it may, in the case of young 

 pigeons, arise from a severe blow on the head when flying 

 hurriedly out of the loft. There is no certain method of 

 determining if a bird is suffering from apoplexy or megrims. 

 I have not found cases of this kind subservient to any spe- 

 cific treatment, and the only course for a fancier to adopt in 

 the case of a valuable bird that he much prizes is to confine 

 it in a quiet pen, feeding by hand for a time, and to 

 administer Parrish's chemical food in 5-minim capsules. 



Oae-eyed Cold. 



This is a very serious complaint when it makes its 

 appearance in a loft. It usually attacks young birds in 

 the moulting season, and subject after subject is attacked 

 without apparent cause. 



In hot weather the disease is more rife than at any 

 other time. 



The first symptoms are a blinking of the eyelid, which 

 the bird has difficulty in keeping open. 



Then follows a watery discharge, and upon pressing 

 back the lid red streaks will be seen under the lid. 



If neglected the discharge thickens, and in some cases 

 turns to contagious catarrh or roup. 



