CHAPTER 



PHEASANTS : Diseases and Parasites. 



THE majority of the diseases from which pheasants suffer 

 limit their attacks, for the most part, to hand-reared birds, 

 and to wild birds in the earlier stages of existence. The 

 most fatal diseases are mainly epidemic in character, and 

 result, more or less directly, from unfavourable conditions 

 of weather. When reared in a natural manner from eggs 

 laid by the wild birds, the pheasant is an extremely hardy 

 bird, and very free from disease more so, probably, than 

 any other of our game-birds; but this hardiness is, to a 

 large extent, due to the principle of the survival of the 

 fittest of those hatched out in the natural broods, for 

 unless they are well up to the standard of excellence of 

 strength and constitution, they soon lose the necessary 

 maternal care, are neglected, and die, or fall victims to 

 vermin. Consequently, only the strong, healthy chicks are 

 reared, resulting in hardy birds eventually. With coop- 

 reared pheasants the case is altered. The weakly and 

 sickly birds are usually helped on with the rest, and if 

 there be a chance of any disease or ailment, these unfortu- 

 nate youngsters are sure to prove the easiest victims, and 

 spread the disease, if infectious, to their neighbours. 

 Under normal conditions, the chief cause of pheasants' 

 ailments is met either in the form of long-continued humid 

 weather or a natural dampness of the ground. When, 



