Recent observations on helminthiasis in some British gamebirds.

Abstract

Between 1947 and 1958, many birds were sent in to the Game Research Station of Imperial Chemical Industries Limited at Fordingbridge, for post-mortem examination and diagnosis of the cause of death. They were sent from almost every county of England, though more came from Hampshire and from the eastern counties than from elsewhere. Scotland provided a few, mostly from the Lowlands but Wales is, unfortunately, almost unrepresented. All the birds reported upon here had been found either dead or dying, and none that had been shot in the ordinary way are included.

As a result of the wide geographical distribution of the post-mortem cases, it can fairly be said that these birds represent as typical a sample of British game birds as we are likely to get. I am indebted to all the land owners, estate agents and keepers who made this material available to me.

The entire intestinal tract, from mouth to anus, was examined but  was separated into the following regions - mouth, oesophagus and  crop, proventriculus, gizzard, duodenum and jejunum, small intestine, caeca and large intestine. The trachea and lungs were examined separately. It was not possible to examine the blood as this was always congealed, and had undergone much decomposition before the birds reached me.

The helminths of partridges and pheasants are individually considered below.