ON GROUSE DISEASE, ETC. 
171 
Eleven of the grouse were carefully examined, and they 
yielded results of the same general character as those above 
tabulated. Some of them contained tapeworms, whilst all 
harboured strongles more or less abundantly. Thus, I have 
examined altogether twenty-nine grouse from the Earl of 
Cawdor’s moors, and every bird was found to be more or less 
infested with this new species of nematode entozoon. On 
the other hand, only about one third of the birds harboured 
tapeworms, and of this comparatively small section only 
some three or four of the bearers contained the taeniae in any 
considerable number. 
In regard to the hares, I have to observe that the perfectly 
healthy looking animal contained no parasite of any kind; 
but the diseased rodent harboured one large fluke (Fasicola 
hepatica ), and also a solitary tapeworm (Taenia pectinata). 
The last-mentioned entozoon was much broken up, but I 
judged it to have measured ten inches in length. 
That the fluke had occasioned severe irritation, and had 
produced much suffering to the hare during life was proved 
by the post-mortem evidence. The liver ducts were much 
thickened, and in several situations were completely blocked 
by the formation of hard calcareous plugs. This gland was 
diminished in size, very dark in colour, and readily broke up 
when pressed between the fingers. It also imparted to the 
touch a gritty sensation when sliced with the scalpel. 
It is, perhaps, not altogether surprising, that one fluke 
should be capable of producing so much mischief. When 
we consider the small size of the bearer and the narrowness 
of the common liver duct, as contrasted with the width of the 
entozoon, it is quite clear, indeed, that only a few flukes are 
quite capable of destroying hares and rabbits. However, a 
passage lately went the round of the newspapers in which 
Mr. Broad, V.S., of Bath, spoke of the livers of hares as being 
found “ full of worms.” What we are to understand by this 
expression I do not quite know, but, speaking from personal 
experience, I cannot remember to have found in any single 
example of duplicidental rodent more than six or eight of 
these trematode parasites. 
Lastly, I have only to add a word by way of protest against 
the commonly received opinion that “when animals are 
weakened by disease parasites increase in an overwhelming 
degree, and are mistaken by the ignorant for the cause of the 
disease itself.” So far from this being true, the very reverse 
is the case. Entozoa, when in large numbers (and some¬ 
times, as we have seen, even when in small numbers only), 
are abundantly capable of giving rise to fatal maladies 
