cases, pierce the egg and withdraw the contents, then break the shell and remove all the pieces. Great care must be taken to leave no particle of the broken shell behind.

EGG-EATING

A bad habit that may be controlled

Symptoms. If remains of eggs are seen in nests or runs, the poultryman should become suspicious and make observations to prove whether any of his flock are eating eggs.

Cause. Broken eggs or soft-shelled eggs left about the yard may be the cause of hens acquiring this bad habit.

Treatment. All signs of broken eggs should always be immediately removed. The culprit, when detected, should be removed to a different pen and nest. Dark nests have been recommended. A trap nest will prevent a hen from getting at her egg.

EMPHYSEMA (AIR UNDER SKIN)

Not a common disease of chickens

Symptoms. In this disease of chickens

the skin becomes puffed out in one or more places, generally on the neck. In rare cases the puffing spreads over nearly the whole. of the body.

Cause. This disease is evidently caused by some obstruction of the air passages that forces the air to escape under the skin. Treatment. Let out the air by puncturing the skin. Give soft and nourishing food. It will probably be wiser not to use birds that recover from this complaint for breeding stock.

EPILEPSY

An unusual complaint

Symptoms. The bird staggers about and has a fit. It may recover.

Cause. It is difficult to discover a cause; intestinal worms are suspected in some

cases.

Treatment. If it is suspected that intestinal worms are responsible, try the treatment recommended for worms. (See page 95.)

FATTY DEGENERATION

Not contagious, but pointing to error in diet Symptoms. More or less sudden deaths of birds in good condition. Post-mortem examination shows an enlarged liver and masses of fat attached to the intestines.

Cause. Something wrong with the diet; too much heat-giving food and want of exercise.

Treatment. Post-mortem proof of fatty degeneration in the flock should lead the poultry owner to change the diet, reducing the amount of heat-giving food, and giving more exercise. Some authors draw attention to a fatty degeneration in which the liver is shrunken and shows fat globules under the microscope.

FAVUS (WHITE COMB)

Disfiguring, but easily controlled if treated early

Symptoms. Whitish scabs or crusts on the comb, the head and down the neck. Cause. Due to a fungus that spreads, if

not treated, and that probably starts where there is an abrasion of the skin.

Treatment. Treat in early stages of the disease by dressing with sulphur ointment. (See page 9.) Isolate bird. If the case has been neglected and allowed to develop, the crusts must first be moistened with oil and the surface scraped off with a blunt instrument. Then apply tincture of iodine or nitrate of silver.

FEATHER-EATING

Not a very common habit

Symptoms. The presence of bare patches. and injured plumage on birds should lead the poultryman to watch for feather-eaters. Cause. Irritation from insects, some defect in diet, or natural cussedness.

Treatment. Isolate the offender, and, if persistent and of no special value, kill, for fear the bad example may be followed by others. If several fowls develop this vice, try hanging up a bone for them to peck at and thus distract their attention.

FLEAS

An occasional parasite of poultry

Symptoms. Fleas are found on the fowls or in the straw of their nests.

Description. The flea that attacks fowls is known as the hen flea (Pulex gallina). It is dark colored and has sharp mouth parts. Doubtless it causes the fowl it attacks much irritation in addition to loss of blood.

Treatment. Keep poultry houses in a clean, sanitary condition. Dust the infested fowls with an insect powder or dip them in creolin, about 1%. Burn infested straw.

FRACTURES

Broken bones of legs or wings can be mended by placing the bones back in their proper positions and binding with light splints. The splints may be removed in about four weeks. It will be found that shanks are easily set, but that broken wings give far more trouble.