86 CANARY-BIRD. 



and of a dark, sanguineous hue; the veins 

 swell and appear distended with blood, 

 presenting a varicose appearance; while 

 the bowels of the affected bird partially 

 protrude, forming complete prolapsus ani. 

 When your bird is in this condition, which 

 you will first notice by his sitting on his 

 perch, or the ground, with his feathers 

 swelled out, take him up for examination, 

 which may easily be done, by blowing 

 apart with your mouth the feathers from 

 his stomach. If he be diseased, imme- 

 diately place a small piece of alum in his 

 water-fount, replacing his water every day 

 on the same piece of alum for at least a 

 whole week; if the alum be dissolved 

 entirely in the meantime, replace it by 

 another fragment. This will frequently 

 be found thoroughly efficacious. Another 

 apparently very simple though excellent 

 remedy, is to place a piece of rusty iron 

 in the fount of the bird. Another mode 

 is to empty the water pan of the sick bird 

 during the night, and refill it in the morn- 



