202 
The Illustrated Book oe Poultry. 
Fig. 56. 
Wry- Tail. — This deformity is in many cases owing to spinal causes, and in all such should 
be ruthlessly stamped out, being strongly hereditary and sure evidence of a weakly constitution, 
but instances occur in which it is more analogous to squinting in the human subject, being caused 
by a slight inequality of the muscles or tendons on each side ; and, like squinting, can often be 
cured by a simple operation, for the details of which we are indebted to Mr. Hinton. 
In very slight cases there seems little more than a constant habit of carrying the tail to one 
side, and in these, quoting the gentleman to whom we have already referred, “it is 
often sufficient to make a scar on the opposite side, either by snipping out a bit of 
skin with a pair of scissors, or destroying it by rubbing a wetted stick of nitrate of 
silver (lunar, caustic) over the part. The scar or eschar, whichever way produced, 
should be about half an inch in length by less than a quarter of an inch in width, 
the greatest length being in a downward direction ; and the position is at the junction 
of the projecting portion from which the tail springs with the body. In the annexed 
diagram (Fig. 56) the place is clearly shown at a or b. If the tail be moved from side to side the 
joint will be found, and it is there that the operation must be performed. 
‘ The contraction of the scar or eschar will very probably effect a cure ; but if not, and it be 
still concluded the case is unconnected with spinal deformity — the knife in the neighbourhood of 
the throat, freely dividing the large vessels, is the only cure for this form ! — the finger should be 
placed in the angle on the affected side, while the tail is forcibly drawn in the opposite direction. 
If this is done several times, it is probable that under the finger a tight cord or tendon will be felt, 
and this will have to be divided. This operation must be performed with a sharp narrow-bladed 
knife, inserted under the cord without cutting the skin farther than just the point where the knife 
enters ; and should there be bleeding, pressure on the aperture with the finger will control it. 
After a week the tail should be moved daily to the opposite side, and manipulated till it assumes 
the proper position. 
“ A similar operation may be performed for ‘ squirrel-tail ’ (the tail pointing forward over the 
back), but in this case the cord to be cut will be found on the top instead of at the side.” 
This matter opens up, as Mr. Hinton very justly remarks, the whole question of how far it is 
justifiable to meddle with “ exhibition birds.” If we may thus surgically remove a tendency to 
wry -tail, why not manipulate a comb or excise an extra toe? Why not even paint a bird? We 
confess the point is not clear ; and while we endeavour in this work to give the fancier every 
assistance possible, we are not sure our conscience, any more than Mr. Hinton’s, would be quite at 
ease did we win a prize with a bird “ assisted ” in the manner we have described. Still, we think it 
can be shown that there is some difference between the case now supposed and the others named. 
They are actually wrong formations, whether of members or of plumage, and are hereditary ; 
whereas the fault in mere carriage of a member is more akin to some awkwardness in gait, and, as 
we can testify after breeding from such cases without even the attempt to remedy them, have no 
particular tendency, so far as we have observed, to perpetuate themselves. They seem to belong 
to the individual bird, and, once corrected, are “ permanent improvements.” 
It is often advisable to dissect fowls which have perished from disease, in order to ascertain if 
possible the cause of death. We have known so little in our own yard of such cases, in spite of 
the small space (sixty-seven by thirty-five feet) which clone for some years was at our command, 
that we confess our actual experience in this line has been very limited. We may, however, 
remark that the fowl should be entirely plucked before any extended dissection is attempted, 
and should also be entirely cold, or blood may flow and hinder observation as to the coloui 
