SWOLLEN LIMBS AND SORE FEET. 1 7 



perform the cure. Place the little sufferer carefully 

 and tenderly in a small cage, without perches, upon 

 some soft hay; let the seed and water be within 

 reach, muffle up the cage with flannel or baize, keep 

 every thing as quiet as possible, so that the bird 

 may not be excited to move ; the chances are, that, 

 in a few days, all will be right again. 



Occasionally a bird's limbs will be covered with 

 scales, particularly an old bird's. The best way to 

 remove them is to moisten the limb with quite warm 

 milk ; and a slight rubbing with the thumb and fore- 

 finger back and forth will cause them to peel off. 

 Care should be taken, however, not to break the 

 under-skin. 



Swollen and Sore Limbs are greatly relieved, 

 and oftentimes a permanent cure effected, by bath- 

 ing the affected parts with diluted tincture of 

 arnica. 



Sore Feet. — This disease is usually occasioned 

 by using a very small perch, and also by not using 

 sufficient gravel for the bird to keep his feet clean. 

 The perches for a canary, or other bird of similar 

 size, should never be less than seven-sixteenths of an 

 inch in diameter, and even larger ; and for a mock- 

 ing-bird, and all birds of his size, perches of five- 

 eighths to three-quarters of an inch in diameter are 

 far preferable. With such perches, and plenty of 

 gravel, a bird will seldom have sore feet. Should 

 he, however, be so troubled, the best remedy is to 

 wash the feet in a gill of warm water to which has 

 been added ten drops of tincture of arnica. 



