99 Pheasants. 



experienced hands. For the most part, however, when 

 there is a serious outbreak of enteritis it occurs upon soils 

 of such nature as to be scarcely worth troubling over, they 

 being of a character as favourable to the disease as they are 

 unsuited to pheasant-rearing. 



The contagion of enteritis undoubtedly emanates mostly 

 from dirty and insanitary poultry-yards; but the con- 

 ditions being favourable, it is presumably bred in foul 

 pheasant aviaries and rearing-grounds which have been 

 used again and again for the same purpose. From the one 

 it can be brought by the foster-hens if they be carelessly 

 chosen and treated, or upon the hands, clothes, or boots 

 of the keeper or person supplying and bringing them to 

 the preserve. From the latter as well as the former it is 

 disseminated in a dozen ways by actual contact, in the 

 water, on the wind, may be mentioned as the most salient 

 and patent. For its development and spread, cold nights 

 and dewy mornings are the most favourable conditions of 

 weather. For its prevention, pure fresh soil and pure 

 fresh water are the two sole necessities, backed up by 

 extreme cleanliness of all vessels, materials, and dead 

 stock employed in connection with the practice of rearing 

 in all its details. 



Simple cold or catarrh in pheasants is in itself not very 

 serious, but if neglected renders the birds very susceptible 

 to roup, a highly contagious and fatal disease, which, 

 however, may break out without any assistance from simple 

 catarrh, which citrate or sulphate of iron i drachm 

 to i pint of water in the drinking-water usually cures. 



Roup is a virulent disease, and affects the inner 

 membrane of the mouth, windpipe, and crop. The first 

 symptoms are those of a cold. The affected bird sneezes, 

 and there is running from the nostrils. This soon turns 

 to a viscid discharge of offensive odour, then the face 



H 2 



