36 Budgerigars " French Moult." 



Heoce of ihcir victims, sliikc willi llicir tcniljlc Ijcaks llic heads of Uil'sc 

 animals until tlicy have made a sufficiently large hole to completely cm])ly 

 the skull. Small parrakeets, like the lludgerigar, prolit by this, come 

 and cat the remainder. I have noticed the fact in my aviaries. I have 

 many times seen budgerigars clinging to the hacks of Colins of California, 

 and seeking to stave in the head ; but as the Colin is ;i very active l)ird, 

 the instabibility c:iuses the budgerigars to lose their means of action, and 

 the small gallinaceous birds get rid of them easily enough. The IJudger- 

 igar, therefore, needs an anmial diet ; but what? Sheep's brains naturally 

 presents itself to our minds, but besides it being necessary to serve it 

 very fresh in order to get them to deign to taste it, it is ;i dear food, 

 which quickly goes bad, and is not without danger. .'\fter many trials 

 and experinients I have been led to suppose it is the phosphoric acid of the 

 brain which is the indispensable food to the parrakeet ; and the surprising 

 results which 1 have obtained in offering them a nitrogenated paste, in 

 which phosjihate of chalk rendered assimilable entered in a certain pro- 

 portion, liave already proved to me that I w.is not mistaken. By 

 furnishing the Budgerigar, in addition to the ordinary seed, the tonic 

 elements of which I have just spoken, one will obtain from it all that 

 would be desired from February to November, the broods will follow 

 one another in the logs without interruption, and one will have the 

 satisfaction, while observing the very interesting habits of this bird, to 

 have the young ones as numerous and vigorous as if they had been borne 

 in freedom." 



" The undulated parrakeet, once acclimatised and well nouri.shcd, 

 is rarely ill. It is congestion, caused by too great heat, which, if one 

 does not take care, makes the most victims. As this bird only bathes 

 by placing itself in the rain, it is necessary during the summer when 

 rainy days are rare, to furnish it from time to time with its priveleged 

 bath, either by means of a jet of water, or with a watering-can jirovidcd 

 with a rose. Some individuals, and more particularly the badly nourished 

 hens, which allow themselves to niblile the wings and claws of their young, 

 are sometimes attacked by complete blindness. I have not been able to 

 diagnose this complaint, but T have found the remedy for it. When a 

 bird is found in this condition, eyelids closed, cheeks unfeathered, it 

 suffices to daub round the eyelids with tincture of iodine, taking care to 

 put some on the suture which joins them together, and to place the 

 invalid in the infirmary." 



" At the end of two or three applications scabs form, which droji 

 off, the eyelids open again, and the eye soon recovers its normal condition. 

 The hens also perish in laying time for want of care when, a few davs 

 after pairing, a hen is seen sitting with her back up. there are nine 

 chances in ten that the discomfort is caused by the stoppage of the egg. 

 After being assured of it. it suffices to moisten with oil the affected part, 

 and to hold the invalid over steam for a few minutes, then to place her 

 in a small cage. At the end of two or three hours the egg will be 

 found the object of the misfortune." 



