that tissue that would cause lameness. This condition must not be confounded with acute rheumatic fever, to which horses are sometimes subject, and which is a different disease. The disease of which I speak in this connection is an irritability and painful condition of the fibrous tissue, without any of the products or results of the inflammatory action. The animal should be housed in a dry and airy stable, but sheltered from draughts of air, and should be blanketed. The feet should be treated to a warm bath, and then be rubbed dry, and have an application of Fahnestock's liniment, and be bandaged. At the same time there may be given daily in meal an ounce of acetate of potash, with a scruple of powdered colchicum; or a draught of the following: iodide of potassium, two ounces; liquor potassæ, one quart; of which two tablespoonfuls may be given, night and morning, in a pint of water or mixed with feed. There are several diseased conditions which manifest themselves in the horney foot. Of these the most important are the flat or convex sole, or the pumice-foot, and the sand-crack. The false quarter is in no very great degree different from the sandcrack. All disease or malformations of the horn must originate in injury or in disease of the soft tissues from which the horn is a secretion. The pumice-foot, which consists in a falling of the sole to a level with the solar border of the wall, or even so as to constitute a convex surface, is usually preceded and caused either by a destruction of the elastic laminæ attaching the coffin-bone to the horn, or to an elongation of the same, or else to a softening, spreading, and flatening of the entire hoof. Animals with natural flat feet those that have been bred on marshy land, where their feet have been kept soft, are most liable to exhibit this form. Probably nothing can restore this kind of foot; but care in shoeing may enable the animal to be of some service. Sand-crack is a fissure in the hoof, which begins at the coronet, the thin edge first breaking away. It is a disease of nutrition, the horn of the foot being secreted in diminished quantity and impaired quality. The break, small at first, is extended until it may divide the entire hoof. It usually occurs in the quarter, and perhaps most frequently at the inner quarter. It has been asserted that the whole difficulty is produced by bad shoeing. Low condition, impure state of the blood, and lack of care, are predisposing causes. In this conjuncture, slight injury to the cor onet may be followed by such deficient secretion of horn at that place, that the weakened part may give way and sand-crack take place. If possible, the animal should be given entire freedom from work, and should be turned into a small paddock, or have a loose box, in which he may move somewhat. He should have nutritious food, and sufficient green food or bran mash to keep his bowels free. During the early stages of the disease, and while efforts are being made to restore the soundness of the foot, the horse is better without shoes, as the natural movements of the parts tend to restore their vitality. The bar-shoes, recommended by some writers, are useful only in those cases of long standing which are essentially incurable, and where the horses are to be put to slow work. The part should be interfered with as little as possible; there should be no cutting, paring, or burning; and care should be taken to keep dirt, gravel, etc., from the open sore. The healthy condition of the open and granulating surface should be maintained by frequent washing with soap and water, and the application of the solution of chloride of zinc (three grains to the ounce of water). If the animal is in use, before being taken out the crack should be filled with lint saturated with the solution, which should be confined in place by a strip of cloth completely covered with tar. This should be removed as soon as the horse returns, and the wound be cleansed, if it is at all foul, and carefully dressed again. If treatment is commenced early, a fair degree of expectation of recovery may be entertained; but, in many cases, through neglect or lack of proper treatment, a permanent deficiency of the hoof remains. In such cases, by the use of a bar-shoe, properly adjusted, the animal may be made of some use. Contraction of the horn of the foot is a frequent cause of lameness. This may occur at some part of the coronary border, or may be in the quarters, or may be confined to the heels; the last being, perhaps, its most frequent locality. Contraction at the coronary border produces lameness mainly by pressure on the extensor tendon. Movement produces irritation and consequent pain, which is shown when the animal is at rest by his putting the foot forward. This position relieves the pressure upon the tendon, and gives partial relief from pain. Contraction at the quarters and heels may not always cause lameness. If the condition comes on very gradually, changes of the contained parts may so accom pany it that little if any lameness will be caused simply by the contraction. Again, the contraction may be the consequence of disease, and the other result of a partial cure and a previous lameness lessened. Contraction may result from chronic founder or fever of the feet. It may be produced by long-continued stabling upon a dry, plank floor. Thrushes may so demoralize the floor of the foot as to cause contraction. Too great and constant paring away the bars of the foot may destroy their resistance to the approach of the heels, so the paring of the frog may destroy the function of that organ, as an elastic spring to keep the heels open. The degree of lameness that follows the change of form produced by these causes is not so great as when it results from inflammation of the elastic portions of the foot. The changes are more rapid, and pressure is made upon the sensitive portions of the foot. The horse indicates the amount of pain he suffers by the peculiar short and quick character of his step, and the gentle and light manner in which he places his feet upon the ground. When not in motion, he rests his feet forward, and is continually changing them. Contraction is apt to be seen most frequently in highly-bred horses with a naturally high and narrow foot. This is one of the causes of lameness in which the advice and probably the treatment of an educated veterinary surgeon are important. No definite directions for treatment can be given. There are several other forms of disease in the foot, but they are either so slight, or so rare, or so little amenable to treatment, that we will not cumber this article with them. In closing, we advise that in all serious or doubtful cases of lameness, an educated veterinary surgeon be called. If such a one is not obtainable, the advice of an educated physician may aid in determining the locality and cause of disease. This known, treat the case according to the suggestions of this article. THE VALUE OF INSECT-EATING BIRDS. BY J. W. LANG, OF BROOKS, ME. "Birds-birds! ye are beautiful things, With your earth treading feet and your cloud-cleaving wings; INTRODUCTORY. Birds are prominently distinguished from other animate objects by many points of grace and beauty, and a peculiar adaptability to useful purposes for which they were designed. Their general form, feathery covering, and the incubating process by which they produce their young from eggs, readily distinguish them from mammalia. Their heads are pointed so as to easily cleave the air; the body expands gradually, and has wings as movable weights to balance it, and as oars to propel it, and it diminishes gradually, fringed with a spreading tail, which serves the double purpose of rudder and brake. The tail also contributes to buoyancy. The large bones are hollow receptacles for air, which acquires the temperature of the living bird, and thus rendered lighter than ordinary, serves the purpose gas does in the balloon. Large sacks for holding air are found in various parts of the body, which, when filled with the heated air help float the bird in its aerial element. The quills and feathers unite the greatest possible degree of lightness and strength. Birds render to man two important services directly; they furnish him with good palatable food, and they protect his fruits, grains, vegetables, and flowers from insect ravages. This service is great or small in proportion to the number of birds and plentifulness of insects. When we consider, for a moment, the devastotion of some of the insects injurious to vegetation, and their great |