WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



itself to the writer, by the many instances of the immunity 

 of the young birds from this much-dreaded pest through 

 the frequent use, at different breeding stations, of various 

 kinds of decoctions or infusions of herb roots, etc. ; but, at 

 the same time, many of the chicks suffered on account of 

 the nauseous drink and medicinal food, thus rendering the 

 attempt at prevention only a partial success. 



It, however, suddenly occurred to him that the boiling of 

 the water used in the preparation of the decoctions was 

 probably the secret of the success, and subsequent con- 

 siderable experience has fully confirmed this opinion, and 

 he is induced to advise its adoption, trusting to hear the 

 result when fully and fairly tried upon a more general and 

 extensive scale : it must be admitted that no harm can 

 arise by its adoption, and the little additional trouble is 

 one of its strongest recommendations. The floor or ground 

 upon which the chicks are first allowed to run should be 

 covered with finely-sifted dry burnt earth or sand, free from 

 all kinds of growing vegetation ; for there is no doubt that 

 the spores or germs of the parasite are taken up by the 

 chicks in the water or heavy dew and moisture that hangs 

 upon the plants, etc. Much depends upon the locality, 

 the state of the atmosphere, the temperature, and also 

 upon the freshness or staleness of the spot ; the shifting 

 from place to place, season after season, has always been 

 found most beneficial, but if the ground be freshly covered 

 with recently-burnt earth, it is rendered perfectly fresh, 

 and much trouble and risk is thereby prevented. The 

 avoidance of the evil must be far in advance of the best 

 remedy ever known or likely to be found. Opinions differ 

 in reference to the various kinds of food used to raise 

 chicks, be they pheasants, fowls, or other Gallince ; much 

 depends upon the situation and circumstances, and success 

 is obtained in various ways. As a general rule the greater 

 variety in the food and the more frequently it is changed, 



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