136 The Canary Book. 



or arrowroot biscuit soaked in warm milk, with a few drops 

 of sherry wine added, may be given fresh twice a day as the 

 sole diet until the symptoms begin to disappear, and the bird 

 to recover ; then a tablespoonful of a mixture of oatmeal, 

 ground linseed, and white bread in equal parts, and a sixth part 

 of the yolk of an egg boiled for ten minutes, made into a 

 moderately-thick paste with warm water, may be substituted, 

 and renewed daily until recovery is complete. For further 

 treatment: Give from fifteen to twenty drops of the following 

 mixture to each ounce of water in place of the ordinary drinking 

 water: Yin. ipecac. 2dr., vin. antimon. 2 dr., tinct. belladonna 

 Idr., tinct. opii. Idr., sp. aether nit. 2dr. 



This disease is generally brought about by the birds par- 

 taking of sour egg or green food during hot weather, or it 

 may result from an attack of typhus fever. I do not think 

 it is contagious, but at the same time it is commendable to 

 remove any affected bird from among others. A great many 

 birds die from this complaint during intensely hot weather. 



EGG-BOUND. See Chap. II., on "Breeding and Manage- 

 ment." 



ENTERITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OP THE BOWELS. It is 

 sometimes a matter of great difficulty to discover the true 

 cause of ailment in canaries affected with sudden illness ; but 

 in acute or even chronic inflammation of the bowels, the symp- 

 toms are readily distinguishable. Birds suffering from this 

 disorder suddenly become listless and dull, and, according to 

 the prognosis of this complaint, they suffer acute twitching 

 pains in the abdomen, which cause them frequently to lie 

 with their bodies upon the perches in their cages in their 

 endeavour to procure ease. If you catch the bird, and blow 

 back the feathers from the under part of the body, you will 

 find that there is tension of the belly, and the external appear- 

 ance of the skin is red, at first somewhat pale, but gradually 

 deepening into a much darker colour, and, as the disease 



