LOSS OF VOICE. 13 



the egg supplying sufficient moisture. Sometimes a 

 bird seems hoarse, and apparently has 



Lost his Voice. — This is occasioned by over- 

 singing : a little pure rock-candy, not flavored, dis- 

 solved in the drinking-water, and a quantity of red 

 pepper put into the paste described above, will 

 usually effect a cure. If, however, the cold is allowed 

 to remain for several days without any attention or 

 cure, it will pass rapidly from cold to asthma, and 

 from that to gapes, which is best described by saying 

 that the bird looks like a little puff-ball, with a con- 

 stant panting, and his bill almost constantly opening 

 and shutting, as if to catch breath. His food should 

 be the same as described above. Many bird-fanciers 

 have given small pieces of salt-pork (cut about the 

 size of seed) with a quantity of red pepper thereon, 

 with beneficial effect ; also keep the bird warm, and 

 give, with his rape and canary, ripe plantain if it can 

 be had. Every morning he should have a small tea- 

 spoonful of warm bread and milk, and now and then 

 a little bit of sponge-cake soaked in sherry wine. 



Asthma, or Hard Breathing, when arising 

 from an oppressed stomach, generally yields to 

 plantain and rape-seed, moistened with water, as 

 the sole food. 



Birds troubled with a Diarrhcea can be 

 greatly relieved by placing a rusty nail in their 

 drinking-water. Another excellent remedy will be 

 found in common chalk ; let a small piece be placed 

 between the wires ; it is also well to scrape some 

 quite fine, and scatter it with the sand on the bottom 



