420 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



Fits. 



Tonics — gi'iilian and iron — 5 of llif ionnii- and 

 10 of tlie laller, or a small half Iraspoonful of 

 ([uininc wine in ihc drinking water, will probably 

 be ni'odfd lo conipU'te flu- furr. In chronic 

 cases Ihe plainest food only should be allowed, 

 the bath not being omitted; a small quantity 

 of dandelion juice in the water, ami about twice 

 K week a senna-leaf or two as well, and a little 

 glycerine. 



MISCELLANEOUS .\ILMENTS, .\ND ACCIDENTS 



These are of several kinds, and depend ujion 

 ditlerent causes. Birds that arc either con- 

 st it ulionally weak or weakciu'd b\' in- 

 judicious treatment are nuist sul)jecl lo 

 them. Gluttony and the use of over-stimulating 

 food predis|)oses to fits; so. by weakening the 

 heart, docs injudicious iiairing, as by keeping 

 a male bird with loo many hens during the 

 breeding season. As the treatment we ado])t 

 is nearly the same in all cases, we need do 

 no more here than give the symiiloms of two 

 kinds. The first is syncope, or fainting, during 

 which the heart's action is all but suspended. 

 It is nearly always caused by fright, as by 

 attempting to catch the bird, or letting anything 

 strike the cage, or bringing the cage and l)ird 

 suddenly from a dark position to a very bright 

 one. The cage should be placed in a dull cool 

 place, and the bird's head gently sprayed with 

 a little cold water from the mouth. Slioukl 

 a bird faint when in the hand, immediately 

 lay it down on the floor in a shaded place, 

 and it will soon revive. On no aciouut retain 

 it in tlu' hand. 



.\ncjther kind of lit is apoplectic in ils nature, 

 and, in addition to the usual causes, is often 

 brought on by the thoughtless habil of hanging 

 Ihe cage in a hot. blistering sun. This is more 

 dangerous and deailly, and probal)l> a did]) 

 or Iwo of tiiaudy will be needed, as well as ilie 

 application of cold waler, to revise tlie tiiid. 

 IJut whatever the nature of the lit. Ilie liird 

 will re<iuire the most carefully regnlaled diet 

 and the |)lainesl of food, witli now and tlun a 

 di-o|) or two of castor oil. for tlie fainting lit, 

 give tiark and ii-on tonic; for the apoplectic. 

 bark alone, adding sullicieid to make tlie water- 

 taste fairly strong. 



Surfeit is a name gi\cn to a kind of exan- 

 Ihemalous disorder. There is irritation of Ihe 

 skin, with a slight cruplion. and 

 Ihe bird gels gradually bald. 

 The cause, so far as we yel can tell, is an eridi- 

 in the feeding; and a return to the natural diel, 

 with some oiiening medicine (l-;|)soiu salts is 

 best — a few grains in the water), a small but 

 regular sui)])ly of green fond (a little Iriiion 

 juice and '.i or 4 grains of ehlorale of potash 

 should also be |)laeed in the drinking-waler). 



Surfeit. 



Claws. 



ami will not tail lo remove it. The head should 

 be anointed with tlie puirsl. simplest ointment 

 to be obtained, just sullieient lo moisten the 

 skin. The ]irocess should be I'epi'ated every 

 third <iay tor three limes. 



Cramp is a common complaint among liiids. 

 especially among such as are kepi in a lillhy 

 state, and in small ' pok\ " cages. 

 Cramp. j^ ^^^^^, proceed, too, from indiges- 

 tion : but, from whatever cause it arises, it 

 should be looked upon as merely syiii|ilomatie. 

 The bii'd should be given .'^ drops of castor 

 oil, and ^> (lid|is (d' laudanum in the drinking 

 water for a day or two. It th<' limbs are 

 attacked, it ma\' be removed by immersing 

 them in warm water, and afterwards hanging 

 the cage in a comfortable place <piite away from 

 all draughts : if the cage is a small one, re])lace 

 it with one that is more roomy, with good 

 perches. 



The claws of Canaries often require altenlion, 

 and at limes even the beak gets elongated, and 

 causes discomfort in feeding. The 

 remedy is to shorten the claws or 

 beak with a jiair of sharp nail scissors ; Imt it 

 should be done carefully, and loo much should 

 not be laken off, to avoid cutting into the 

 c[uick. 



The treatment for sore feet is to clean Ihe 

 feel, and get rid of all soui'ees of irritalion. 

 such as dirty cages, perches 

 that are too small or made of 

 hard wood. .Mtir being carefully soaked in 

 lukewarm water the feet should bi' washed 

 and gently dried, and afterwards anointed with 

 a toucli ot boracic oinlmenl. The bird should 

 I lien be placed in a well cleaned cage, and seen 

 to every day until the feel are well. This is 

 a very jiainful and distressing complaint. 



In a case of a fractured limb all perches 

 sliould be taken out of the cagc, and t he bottom 



lilted with soft meadow hay. .\ 

 Fractured ^^.j.^, ^■^^^. ,|^j,^ j.j,,j„, ^'|,„j,i,i 



^""^* then be laid against the fractured 



]iarts, and gently bound lo the limb. Care must 

 be taken not lo stop the circulation by binding 

 too lightly b'ood and water should be placed 

 so tliat the bird can easily get at them. Nature 

 will do the rest. 



Accidents sometimes occur to the joints, and 



are followed liy painful inflammation which 



must tie subdued by fre- 



Accidents to ,nieiitlv bathing the parts in 



the Joints. 1^^^, ^;.,^,^.,. .^,^,, .,,,,.,,,..„.,,, 



applying a Utile tincUire of oi)ium. .\t Ihe 

 same time a liltle I-'psom salts inil in the ilrink- 

 ing waler will help to reduce the swelling. 



Wdmids are the result of accident, and are 

 most eoiumon about the feel. The liird must 

 be eaujihl. and the feet earcfull> washed in 



Sore Feet. 



