120 PJSEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



the best mode of treatment is to endeavour to stamp out 

 the disease by removing and destroying the affected birds 

 instantly, and so preventing their affecting others. In all 

 cases in which birds are destroyed to prevent the spread 

 of any infectious disease, the greatest care should be taken 

 not to leave the dead bodies exposed. If this be done, 

 the disease is almost certain to extend; it has been proved 

 to do so in the case of birds dying with tuberculous livers, 

 " gapes," and other diseases. The bodies should, if possible, 

 always be burned. If that is impracticable, they should 

 be buried deeply in some part of the ground where there 

 are no fowls or pheasants. Hanging the dead bodies of 

 diseased birds in trees to produce a supply of gentles is 

 exceedingly objectionable. 



Scrofulous diseases, such as tubercles in the lungs and 

 liver, are the result of breeding from weak stock, from over- 

 crowding on the same ground, and from close interbreeding. 

 The remedies suggest themselves ; all that is required is the 

 employment of strong, healthy stock birds, the removal to 

 fresh untainted ground, and, if necessary,- an introduction 

 of fresh blood into the aviary or preserves. 



The most troublesome and fatal disease is that known 

 as the " gapes," which is caused by the presence of small 

 red worms in the trachea or windpipe. For the first careful 

 demonstration of the cause of this disease we are indebted 

 to the late Dr. Spencer Cobbold, who contributed the account 

 of its history and treatment to the Linnsean Society, from 

 which the following abstract is taken : 



"This parasite," writes Dr. Cobbold, "has been found 

 in the trachea of the following birds, namely, the turkey, 

 domestic fowl, pheasant, partridge, duck, lapwing, black 

 stork, magpie, hooded crow, green woodpecker, starling, 

 sparrow, martin, linnet, crow, rook, and swift. 



" My attention was recently directed to a small, almost 

 featherless chicken suffering from the 'gapes.' The bird 

 belonged to a brood between six and seven weeks old. The 



