THE DISEASES OF GAGE BIRDS 



417 



As meal-worms arc always in giTat demand 

 where insectivorous or partially insectivorous 



birds are kept, the following 

 Propagating „^ethod of propagating nieal- 

 MeaUworms. , • 1 * •*! 



worms may be earned out with 



great advantage. Fill a half-gallon jar with 

 wheat bran, barley, or oatmeal, and a few 

 pieces of sugar-paper or old shoe-leather. In 

 this half a pint of meal-worms may be placed, 

 and if allowed to remain for three months, 

 occasionally placing the rough canvas cover 



from two or three beer-barrel bungs in with 

 them, or failing this a piece of canvas moistened 

 with beer, they will become beetles, which 

 again lay eggs and propagate their species 

 with great rapidity. Another method of secur- 

 ing a supply of meal-worms is to stock a cheese 

 barrel or otlier box with about two quarts of 

 meal-worms, and add the wheat, bran, etc., 

 as previously directed, making sure that 

 the case is secure so that the worms cannot 

 get out. 



CHAPTER XL! 



THE DISEASES OF CAGE BIRDS 



The ailments to which cage birds are subject 

 are happily few, provided proper attention is 

 given to them. The most common causes of 

 disease are (1) exposure to draughts. (2) lack 

 of fresh air, either from badly ventilated rooms, 

 or from being placed high up above the gas or 

 lamps of sitting-rooms, (3) an abuse of dainties 

 in feeding, and (4) sour or unwholesome food 

 or bad water. 



In case of illness, first and foremost, find out 

 how the ailing bird has been fed, whether green 

 food was given, and whether this was fresh or 

 stale. Then see what state the bird's bowels 

 are in — whether loose or constipated ; and 

 next turn your attention to the l>ird itself, 

 and before you attenipl to handle it, observe 

 the position in which it sits or perches — that 

 alone often gives a clue to internal troubles. 

 Listen to any chest-sounds it may emit, such 

 as coughing, panting, or wheezing. You may 

 next handle the bird, for the purpose of exam- 

 ining the vent and abdomen. A small bird 

 ought to lie handled as gently as possible. 

 Do not, if possible, alarm il, or cause it to 

 flutter all round the cage ; approach the hand 

 gently, then seize it with one (juick pounce, 

 and hold it with the necessary degree of firm- 

 ness, but not so as to injure il. 



The medicines administered ought to lie of 

 the best quality procurable. There are two 

 kinds of castor oil, for example ; and while the 

 better is one of the safest and most effectual 

 aperients we possess, though it has been ac- 

 credited with killing many birds, the coarser 

 kind may set up irritation of I he bowels, which 

 it will be difTicult to subdue. 



We recommend that ordinary catarrh, colds 

 and coughs should be treated as if they really 

 were — as Ihey often are — symplomalic of Ihe 

 firsl stage of other internal lr<iiilik's, (lie ri'sull 



53 



generally of exposure to cold, draughts, or ex- 

 cessive damp. Ini]iroper feeding will likewise 

 produce them as well as over- 



Diseases of 

 the Respira= 

 tory Organs. 



feeding. They are also some- 

 times associated with a de- 



ranged state of the bowels or 

 indigestion. Birds so affected should be kept 

 free from draughts and damp, the food should 

 be nutritious, and easy of digestion. The seed 

 vessel should always contain a supply of good, 

 sound, sweet canary seed, for the bird to go 

 to when it feels so disposed ; and if a British 

 bird a supply of its natural wild food should 

 be given, or the best substitute other than 

 that it has been having. .\ piece of bread 

 soaked in scalded milk, and given when cold, 

 is a capital remedy, but it should be fre- 

 quently changed. Hemi) seed ought to be 

 avoided, it is too stimulating. After three 

 days wilh the bread-and-milk, a very small 

 (luaulily of egg food made fresh each day, 

 with 2 drops of glycerine and 1 drop of 

 paregoric mixed in it, may be substiluled 

 for the next three days, and a due allowance 

 of fresh green food given each day. Our aim 

 is to improve the general health of the bird, 

 and its bowels should be regulated by the occa- 

 sional addition lo the water of a lillle carbo- 

 nate of magnesia, and from Id lo 15 drops 

 of tincture of coiiium. At I be commencement 

 of the attack give 10 drops of the elheral 

 tincture of lobelia to a wineglassful of water, 

 changing the waler and adding the drugs 

 fresh daily. The addition Uhi iil a lillle glycerine 

 can do nothing but good. Tonics should be 

 given after the attack has abated ; iron in 

 some form we specially recommend, and lo 

 it may be added a few drops of Ihe compound 

 lincture of genlian. ."> drcips lo a wineglass of 

 waler. This Irealiiu-nl is sure lo do good; 



