The Rice belt journal., 1909-10-22

enced writer's on grouse
affirms that this year
there is a belt Of grouse
~ disease spreading, if not
regularly. in patches,
from the Lammermuirs and Northum-
berland right across the border coun-
ties from east to west. "As always
happens he observes. when disease
shows itself, some moors in an affect,
ed belt seem to escape. This is no
great assistance to them. for even if
they have large stocks. which is not
likely. the grouse will distribute
themselves and occupy vacant sites
on other moors when spring and
breeding start again, so that escap.
ing moors in disease belts rarely avoid
reduction of stocks to the level, or
nearly to the level, of the disease-af
ficted moors." 1t well be seen, there
fore, that the causes of gsouse disease
are matters which are of very great
Importance, and call for further light
from the grouse disease inquiry. the
committee of which began its labors
in 1905.
The literature of grouse disease
may almost be characterized as volum-
inous, especially if we include the
ceaseless flow of contributions to the
newspapers by naturalists and sports
men relative TO the dissemination of
the malady.
Some forty years ago Or, Cobbold
enunciated that the main cause of
mortality among the birds was the
mischief induced in the intestines by
nematode worm. In 1874 DR.. r. Far
qaharson, writing to the Lancet, eX-
pressed the opinion that the disease
in its acute form was an infectious
lever, of epidemic incidence, a view
which received considerable support.
New and fruitful lines of inquiry were
developed by DR.. E. Klein, F. r. s.,
who in 1892 published a monograph,
lhe outcome of five years study, de-
falling the symptoms, pathology and
nacterlologoy of grouse disease. He
found that the chief change in its
course resulted from acute congestion
Oh one or both lungs of the afflicted
Ord. This congestion was marked ap-
pafently in post mortem examinations
and, in Klein's opinion, it was clear
taat as in acute congestion of the lung
ih man and animals, so also in the
grouse under these conditions fever
must be prominent symptom.
LORD Lovat became chairman of
grouse disease inquiry which was ap-
pointed by Lord Onslow in 1905, but
which, as is not unusual when scien-
tihe work is launched in Great Brit
an was expected to defray the cost of
us Investigations by private subscrip-
ions. Last year it issued an interim
report, which has not yet received the
imprlmatur of being made a govern
ment publication, and is, consequent
" rather rare document. From one
point OF view the committee has been
uecldedly nnlucky in that during the
period OF its investigations no cases
OF the acute form of the disease, or
mat form in which the disease runs
IKE a fire through the heather, have
come under notice. The form they
nave Investigated is what may be
called the chronic, or endemic, form
oil the disease, which appears to be
wasting and usually fatal Illness
III the earlier stages the bird is less
strong on the wing than ordinarily.
ana changes its station from the
heather to the green ground. In the
later stages the power of fight is lost,
the internal congestion becomes more
acute, and the microscopic parasites
swarm inside the birds. Loss of
weight makes itself daily more notice
able, and the bird mopes about the
banks of the stream till death puts
Ri end to its sufferings. Among the
parasites the microscopic th1 sad.