Scurfy Legs. 



157 



with carbolic soft soap, as made for dogs ; and the coops, 

 nesting-places, perches, all cleansed with limewash, scented 

 with carbohc acid. Great care should be taken not to use as 

 foster mothers any hens affected with the disease. If a Cochin 

 or other hen in the slightest degree affected with scabies is 

 employed, it is obvious that, as young birds are covered by 

 her, the parasites can readily pass from her to the chicks, and 

 the disease becomes disseminated. 



The late Mr. Home, of Hereford, a most practical pheasant 

 rearer, wrote as follows : 



" There is no doubt that birds hatched under Asiatic mothers 

 (feather legged) are most prone to these insects. I have tried 



ScuKPT Leg Parasite 

 {Sarcoptes mutans). 

 MagDiflcd 100 diameters. 



Male. 



Female, distended. 



sulphur ointment, vaseline, glycerine, &c., but none was a certain 

 cure. At last I was told that common paraffin would speedily 

 effect a cure. At that time I had a young bird (six months old) a 

 perfect cripple — knots in his joints like nuts. I at once applied 

 the paraffin, pouring it well over the legs ; in a week there was 

 a great improvement, and after two or three applications the 

 bird became perfectly well. Since that time I have cured 

 many. I generally apply it once in a week or ten days. I find 

 the Versicolors and Beeves are the most liable to the disease, and 

 do not remember having ever seen a case of it on the Gold." 



