126 
REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
the like, it is usually an infectious disease and calls for prompt cleansing 
of the digestive tract, which is best accomplished by Epsom salts or a 
teaspoonful of castor oil containing about fifteen drops of turpentine. 
Add iron sulphate or permanganate of potash to the w r ater; isolate the 
affected birds. Disinfect thoroughly the houses, utensils, and grounds, 
and sprinkle lime everywhere. The causes may be coccidia, such as we 
find in white diarrhea of chicks; flagellates, as in the canker of pigeons; 
or bacteria, as in Klein’s infectious enteritis. 
Cholera .—Cholera would really come under the third class just men¬ 
tioned. The organism causing it is frequently so virulent that death 
comes within a few hours, even before the diarrhea symptoms have had 
time to manifest themeslves. The treatment would be practically that 
outlined under enteritis, although treatment is usually of no avail. Kill 
the very sick and treat only the apparently healthy, thus anticipating 
and preventing the disease.' Necessary in all the other diseases, it is of 
supreme importance in cholera to burn quickly all dead birds, after 
saturating them with coal oil. Burying deep and covering with lime 
may have to do, but it is not so good a method. In killing the sick birds 
do not use the ax, and thus spatter everything with the infective blood. 
Scurfy legs .—The affection known as scurfy legs, scaly legs, scabies, 
or mange of the legs and feet is caused by a parasitic mite, Sarcoptes 
mutans, which burrows under the scales and by its presence sets up an 
irritation which causes a rapid increase in production of cells, together 
with a secretion resulting in a gradual thickening and elevation of the 
scales. Being a parasitic disease, scaly legs is transmissible from one 
bird to another and from infested houses, perches, nests, etc. Treatment 
must begin with isolation of the patient and the thorough application to 
the coops and fixtures of boiling soapy water, then kerosene, and finally 
a coat of five per cent carbolic acid, to which has been added enough 
lime to make a whitewash. The affected bird should have its legs soaked 
in warm soapsuds, this part ‘of the treatment being completed by a good 
scrubbing with a small hand scrub. This alone has cured the disease. 
However, it is best to follow this with a good rubbing of sulphur oint¬ 
ment (one part flowers of sulphur to nine parts of lard, sweet oil, or 
vaseline). 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
Pheasants can be hatched in incubators and raised in brooders, but 
unless one has had much experience along those lines, it is best to resort 
to the domestic hen. 
There are numerous other methods of raising pheasants, but from the 
success had with this one we recommend it as particularly satisfactory. 
The best plan is to always follow nature as closely as possible and 
beware of filth ancl lice. For any information that you may desire 
