DISEASES. 73 



with soap, warm water, and a brush, and then rubbed thinly 

 with olive oil. In severe cases the treatment must be repeated. 

 When a parrot is badly attacked with mites, the cage should be 

 scalded out with hot water, and, having been thoroughlj'- 

 cleansed and dusted out with insect powder, should be taken 

 to another place. Feather mites, &c., which live in the feathers 

 and injure them, are also banished by brushing the affected 

 place with tincture of insect powder (32), or Peruvian balm (67), 

 and, after being bathed with soap and water, smeared lightly 

 with olive oil ; for the rest, careful management of the plumage 

 is necessary (see p. 48). If bald spots come, on which scales 

 or scabs form, they, also, are probably due to some animal or 

 vegetable microscopical parasite. No researches as regards these 

 in parrots have as yet been made, and I have treated the affected 

 bird in a similar way as for foot scab (p. 72) with good results. 



Self Plucking is one of the worst diseases of the larger 

 and, indeed, of the most valuable parrots. It makes a most 

 dreadful impression to see a clever-speaking, almost humanly- 

 intelligent, bird become in a short time quite naked, with the 

 exception of the head, and plucking out every feather that 

 sprouts from its bleeding body. It has long been known that 

 this diseased inclination is founded on improper management. 

 Whether the cause lies in microscopical parasites or in the 

 want of movement, the impossibility of shaking the feathers 

 thoroughly in the air, and, consequently, in irritation of the 

 skin produced by the closing of the pores from down, or in the 

 corruption of the juices of the body, and the irritation which 

 proceeds therefrom, or, finally, as many wish to maintain, 

 merely from bad habit, is by no means determined with 

 certainty. We can only point out the unfortunate fact 

 that self-plucking is not rare, and that, to the present time, 

 no certain mode of cure has been discovered. Preventative 

 Measures : A constant supply of wood to gnaw, also lime and 

 sand ; avoid all tit- bits and unnatural food in general. On 

 the other hand, suitable food and careful treatment of the 

 plumage (see p. 48). The owner should also occupy and amuse 

 himself with the parrot as much as possible. Treatment : 

 Sprinkle with eau de Cologne or diluted glycerine (24), or some 

 similar liquid, through a vaporiser; smear the places with 

 tincture of aloes (2), infusion of tobacco (81), or walnut leaves 

 (85), or other bitter or unpleasant fluids ; brush with tincture of 



