78 A . E. Hamerton—Diseases of Aviary Birds


of the liver is seen in parasitic infections, heterakis and coccidiosis,

and other specific infections.


Diseases and Disorders of Nutrition. —Severe degrees of osteomalacia

and osteoporesis are very common among young birds taken from

the nest and reared by hand. True rickets with the deformity and

distortion of long bones found in mammals has not vet been seen in

birds at the Zoo. Gout is a common disease among elderly Parrots

that have been systematically overfed. It is easily recognized by

the “ chalk stones ” deposited in the periarticular tissues about the

joints of the feet and wings, and gouty spondylitis.


Neoplastic Disease. —Innocent tumours, adenomas, lipomas and

granulomas are common enough, and sometimes cause death by their

pressure effects. Hsemangeoma of liver and kidneys occurs, and may

cause death by rupture and internal haemorrhage. Spontaneous cancer

in birds is rare. The following cases have occurred in the Zoological

Gardens : A Bank Myna ( Acridotlneres ginginianus) died from an

acinous carcinoma of the pancreas, with extensive secondary deposits

in the liver. A Gold Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) died from an

adenocarcinoma growing from the lower pole of the right kidney.

The tumour occupied most of the abdominal cavity, and apparently

killed by pressure effect.


Diseases of the Nervous System are seldom recognized. Cerebral

abscess occurs rarely.


There are many specific infectious avian diseases, such as psittacosis,

fowl cholera, pullorum disease or fowl typhoid, fowl pox, fowl plague,

and others ; most of them are filth diseases engendered by over¬

crowding, dirty aviaries, stale food, and water polluted by excreta, etc.

I have not seen any of these diseases in the Zoological Gardens in

London, and will not describe them, as they occur mostly in domestic

poultry, except psittacosis, which appears to be a disease of cage

birds only.


I apologize to my readers who may have read through this meagre

account of some of the more common and easily recognizable diseases

of cage birds in the hope that they would find some useful guide or

hints for treatment. Unfortunately, I am not a veterinarian, but

a general pathologist, and I have had no personal experience of avian



