230



Correspondence



feet again, eating very well but still gasping and sitting down

suddenly.


Now, in the fourth week, he is apparently normal again, and I

doubt if we could hold him to administer any drug.


I am told that this bird, being up to date so healthy, had been

ignored to some extent, when the daily fresh vegetable ration was

being handed out last winter. Whether a Cassowary manufactures

Vitamin D in his skin and feathers or not I do not know. Anyway,

there has not been enough sunlight last winter for him to do so.


I am satisfied that the condition was a vitamin shortage, which

made this bird susceptible to infection and he got pneumonia.


Whether our treatment had any effect or not I do not know, but,

anyway, the bird is recovering. I should strongly advise the use of

Adexolin in any sick bird.


Of course, I must not forget to say that the second week I added two

heaped teaspoonfuls of Bemax to his diet; this is vitamin B which is

so strongly recommended by Mr. Hastings in a recent issue.


W. L. English.



THE MELANISTIC MUTANT PHEASANT


With reference to the article on above subject by Mr. G. H. Clarke

in last month’s issue, those who are interested in the origin of this

bird may be interested to read, if they have not already done so, the

chapter in A Bird Painter’s Sketchbook , by Philip Rirkman (Eyre and

Spottiswood, 1931 on “ The Pheasant ” (p. 133). In this chapter,

which is largely on this subject of Mutants, he states : “So far as we

know Mutants have not been found in a completely wild state. By

that I mean where no human agency could be traced.” It appears

to me a chapter on the subject worth reading. I have several of

these birds here and I do not think they stray very badly as they are

accused of doing by many sportsmen.



John S. Beed.



