DISEASES. 53 



Fanciers," vol. i., in speaking of diseases, I entirely confined 

 my statements to the results of my long experience, and both 

 grounded the diagnosis and prescribed the treatment upon it, 

 I will now extend my remarks by, as far as possible, intro- 

 ducing the scientific descriptions of Professor ZUrn. I must, 

 however, warn amateurs, keepers, and breeders, that the chief 

 endeavour should be to guard against disease which it may 

 not be possible to heal, or which can only be cured with 

 great difficulty, and, with this view, I have given the preceding 

 instructions upon the "Preservation of Health." 



When a parrot bristles its feathers, particularly on the back 

 of the head and the neck, yawns often, and shakes its head, 

 or sticks it under the feathers, and shudders or trembles as 

 if cold, the case is very ominous, and should warn the owner 

 carefully to watch the bird. Neither the peculiar grinding 

 of the beak which is often heard when the parrot is uncom- 

 fortable, or as the result of a bad habit, nor yet the bristling 

 of the feathers on the neck, are generally signs of much 

 importance. The chirping sound uttered now and then, when 

 quiet in the evening, by a parrot which, to all appearance, is 

 quite healthy, is, however, more serious, and is often followed 

 by expectoration, coughing, snoring, heavy breathing with 

 open beak, and the yet graver symptom of running from 

 the beak and nostrils ; even a continuous moisture of the 

 latter requires immediate attention. 



The principal indication of the state of health is in the 

 condition of the excretions. In a thoroughly healthy parrot 

 they consist of two parts, a thickish dark green and a thinnish 

 white substance. Whenever both parts run into one another, 

 or one predominates, when the excretion is all greenish-grey, 

 slimy white, or watery, the bird is no longer quite healthy. 

 Any severe internal disease of parrots is difficult to cure, 

 because it is hard to make a proper diagnosis for each bird, 

 and to find out which of the great organs has been attacked 

 with the disorder, and what the evil effects may be which 

 are produced on it. Professor Zilrn deserves our thanks for 

 the manner in which he has described a great many such 

 diseases, stated their symptoms, and prescribed remedies ; 

 nevertheless, I am of opinion that it is difficult, indeed 

 scarcely possible, even for an experienced bird fancier, to 

 discover those signs of sickness in the living bird, and con- 

 sequently not less difficult to subject it to the appropriate 



