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flies, eg<^ and carrot (which may be looked upon as a 

 staple diet) fresh and free from a sloppy condition ; 

 besides which, -when eaten in moderation, it keeps a bird 

 from getting too fat, which is a real danger to many 

 birds kept in small cages — and can we wonder at it when 

 we consider the changed condition of things ? In a state 

 of freedom the}- have to work hard for every morsel they 

 eat, while in a cage they have nothing to do bnt sit on a 

 perch all da}' and gorge to repletion. Singnlar to relate, 

 it is the smaller species which are the most liable to an 

 unhealthy state of fatness, and for this reason I always 

 give them the largest cages I have got, that by the 

 greater space wherein to exercise their wings, with 

 plenty of clean water to bathe in, their thonghts may be 

 diverted from everlastingh' sitting on the food pot. 

 Even then one mnst keep a sharp look out, and 

 immediately we notice one sitting all in a lump, out he 

 must come, and the cause will generally be found to have 

 been a case of eating not wisely bnt too well. The 

 remedy is simple, place him on more frugal diet and 

 doctor his water with Kpsoni salts in the proportion of 

 one half-teaspoonful dissolved in a wineglassful of hot 

 water, letting it cool before giving it to the bird to 

 drink. This will generally bring relief, ar.d is a simple 

 and useful medicine at all times. 



When I began to write this article I did not intend to 

 touch on that pernicious compound known as GERMAN 

 PAvSTE, but seeing it is such an ancient institution some 

 reference to it may be expected in an article of this 

 description, and if I am able to put a stop to its use I 

 shall have done some good in mentioning it. There are 

 a variety of recipes for making German Paste, but the 

 one chiefly used for the article sold in shops consists of 

 coarseh- ground pea meal mixed with treacle and baked 

 to a nice golden colour ; when cool, crushed hemp and 

 maw seeds are added. Other recipes which I have seen 

 have had whisked eggs, olive oil, and honey included, 

 but needless to say they form no part of the article of 

 commerce, seeing that the wholesale price is only 3d. 

 per lb. When put into tin canisters with a fancy label 



