The Red Grouse 
53 
" Mr. Thomas Speedy, in his Sport in the Highlands and Lowlands, also mentions that in 1867 
the disease made its appearance in two different forms. At first the birds were ' draggled,' wasted, 
and emaciated, and bare about the legs, showing that they were suffering from a long-continued and 
fatal disease. Later in the season the birds were found dead in beautiful plumage, and with well- 
feathered legs, and in excellent condition. These birds were suffering from intense inflammation of 
the bowels, and immense quantities of ' strangles ' were seen. The disease made its appearance 
again in 1873, and again quantities of tape-worms and 'strangles' were found in the affected birds. 
But Mr. Speedy did not attribute the disease to parasites ; nor does he agree with other theories as 
to the origin of the disease, such as the eating of grain by grouse, or eating frosted heather, or from 
overstocking. On the other hand, he, like others, deprecates the disturbance of the balance of 
nature by the wholesale destruction of vermin, pointing out that these are always more likely to 
prey upon diseased and weak birds than upon healthy and vigorous ones, and so would do good 
rather than harm. At the same time, he expresses his belief in atmospheric influences, and quotes 
in support of his theory Dr. Farquharson, Mr. M'Haffie, and also ' Dr. Andrew Wilson, lecturer on 
zoology and comparative anatomy, who tells us "he does not believe in the parasitic theory, but 
in some lesion analogous to the epidemic theory." ' 
"This brings us to the admirable work done by Professor Klein, at the instance of the editor 
of the Field, in 1887, in the investigation of this disease, and confirming the theory advanced by 
Dr. Andrew Wilson. In a paper in the Zoologist of October 1892, Mr. J. E. Harting, in reviewing 
the work of Professor Klein, drew attention to the fact that in 1874 Dr. Farquharson and Dr. 
Andrew Wilson had expressed their belief that grouse disease was an epidemic infectious fever. 
Professor Klein's investigations, carefully carried out, both on the moor and in the laboratory, led 
him to conclude that grouse disease was due to a specific bacillus. In his work he describes all 
the symptoms most carefully, and it is curious to note that his description of the liver agrees 
with that of St. John in 1847, though, of course, described in other language. In his work on 
grouse disease Professor Klein describes all the characters of the bacillus which he found in 
specimens of grouse sent to him for examination, and also his inoculation and other experiments 
with other birds. 
"One of the most recent contributions on the subject of grouse disease is that by Mr. A. E. 
Shipley, F.R.S., in the Encyclopedia of Sport, p. 491. He refers to the work done by Dr. 
Cobbold and Professor Klein, and, like Dr. Cobbold, says that the presence of the Strongylus 
pergracilis is probably the cause of more disturbance to the health of the grouse than the presence 
of the tape-worm Tcenia calva found by Baird. 
"These references and they are necessarily brief — show considerable divergence in the views of 
those in a position to offer opinions upon the origin of grouse disease. These opinions differ almost 
as much now as they did when first published, and extend from the view of overstocking, &c, to 
the belief in an epidemic due to the action of a specific bacillus." 
Mr. W. A. Tegetmeier has repeatedly given reports on the condition of birds sent 
to the Field Office, and he has been impressed with the evidence of some form of 
enteritis so common among pheasants, partridges, and fowls, and also that Grouse 
which have died during visitations of the epidemic have exhibited such widely dissimilar 
degrees of congestion of the lungs and intestines. Sixteen years ago Dr. Klein clearly 
demonstrated that the enteritis of fowls is distinct from the disease of Grouse, but the 
study of the subject has advanced greatly since that time, so that we await the report 
of the Grouse Disease Inquiry Committee (now sitting) with considerable interest. 
In 1907 Dr. Sambon discovered a new filarial larva found in the blood of a Red 
Grouse sent to him for examination, of which the following is the Field report 
(Sept. 21, 1907) : — 
" This bird, sent to us from High Ardwall, Anworth, proved a most interesting case of multiple 
parasitism. From amongst the feathers were collected numerous lice (Mallophaga) of two kinds, 
