The Diseases of Poultry. 243 



but always pursuing the others, to isolate her. One single 

 bird is sufficient to set a bad example. In small runs it 

 is the cock which is generally picked first. Is it from 

 excess of affection, or is it spite and revenge ? It is difficult 

 to say. At all events, he seldom resents it, and allows 

 himself to be plucked without resistance. In this case the 

 best way to protect him, is to rub him over with a sponge 

 dipped in paraffin. In repeating this operation two or 

 three times, at an interval of some days, the hens will 

 entirely cease to strip their lord and master." 



[I believe a judicious salting of the food will cure a feather- 

 eating flock almost always. W.] 



• Gapes. — Chickens are sometimes troubled with what is 

 known as gapes, so called from the constant gaping of the 

 mouth. This action is the result of the presence of worms 

 in the throat, and if these are not removed, the chicken 

 soon dies from suffocation. The cause of these worms is 

 difficult to ascertain. Some are able to prevent them, by 

 the application to the heads of newly-hatched chicks, of a 

 mercurial ointment, but in other cases they appear to arise 

 out of the ground, and all efforts to get rid of them are in 

 vain. The worms can be dislodged from the throat, by 

 dipping a small quill feather in turpentine, and then 

 passing it into the throat, where it is twisted around and 

 jerked out, thus dislodging the worms. Fumigating with 

 carbolic acid is also a most effectual cure, and where chicks 

 are largely affected, it is worth some trouble to save their 

 lives. We have also seen recommended, placing the chicks 

 in a box and dusting them well with fine lime, which gets 

 into the throat and makes the birds cough, thus bringing 

 out the worms. In both these cases care must be taken 

 not to kill the birds by suffocation, which may easily be 

 done if the treatment is continued too long. 



Koup. — It has been stated that cold never becomes roup 



