354 Dr. W. G. Creswell,


THE INFLUENCE OF DIET ON THE AVIAN

DEATH-RATE.


By W. Geo. Creswell, M.D., L.R.C.P., F.Z.S.


On the most casual consultation of the pages of any book

or paper devoted to aviculture it is manifest that a great

importance is attached to the question of what dietary is

suitable or unsuitable to the health of any species of bird which

is for the moment under consideration by the particular writer.

This importance is not misjudged: there can be no question—

all my readers will agree with me—that the mortality of birds is

enormously increased coincidently with their impressment into

what we may call the service of man. As an aviculturist of

more than fort}'' years’ standing this fact has been painfully borne

in upon my recognition times and times again without number ;

and it is hardly to be supposed that the mind of a medical man,

who has in addition been a student and lover of nature since his

earliest years, has not as a first consequence been persistently

exercised in the attempt to solve the apparently insoluble problem

as to the causes of this mortality. I say apparently insoluble

advisedly, because, although in spite of all the opinions and

even dogmas that have been constantly laid down by one after

another of our most earnest and enthusiastic workers, the

mortality still continues the same, or at any rate has not

diminished in even a proportionate ratio to the admittedly

improved conditions under which our charges are now housed

and lodged ; yet I am confident that in the near future we shall

see much improvement.


This mortality has been evidently accounted for in the

minds of most aviculturists by some occult influence exercised

by this or that article of diet. P'irst we see one thing con¬

demned, then another. Colour-food, inga seed, rape seed,

mealworms, some particular kind of green stuff, then any kind

of green stuff if it is wet, bread, pea meal, and in short every¬

thing, except canary seed and egg yolk, is in turn condemned as

being the prime factor in this lamentably heavy death-rate.

Then on the other hand all these proscribed articles of diet have

their respective champions, who are ready to fight to the death in

defence of their favourite selection. And neither of the parties



