148 The Canary Book. 



remove the subject to a warm room, if it is not already in 

 one, and in any case it must be isolated from other birds. 

 Give a little gentle laxative such as a small quantity of the 

 sulphate of magnesia, a few senna leaves, and a piece of 

 liquorice in the drinking water. When the bowels are relieved, 

 substitute for the above the following : Yin. ant. tart. Idr., sp. 

 ether nit. l^dr., tinct. opii camph. Idr., tinct. belladonna dr. 

 Add 15 drops of this mixture to every ounce of the water* in 

 place of the drinking water, and draw a few feathers out of 

 the tail and wings, as a little blood-letting will assist in reducing 

 the inflammatory symptoms. Feed on arrowroot biscuits and 

 milk, with a teaspoonful of sherry wine added, and when the 

 bird begins to recover give egg-food and tonics; a grain or 

 two of quinine, dissolved in a few drops of diluted suphuric 

 acid (elixir of vitriol), and loz. of pure water added; a tea- 

 spoonful of this should be put to each ounce of the ordinary 

 drinking water, and renewed each alternate day until recovery 

 is complete. This disorder requires prompt attention to effect 

 a cure. 



A caution to purchasers of birds. When you buy birds 

 from anyone keep them apart from your regular stock for a 

 week or so, and if they appear in good health at the end of 

 that time you may place them in your bird room. It is not 

 an uncommon practice with some fanciers when they find they 

 have got a bad disease among their birds to sell them off 

 speedily, but the advertisement will frequently lead you to 

 the true cause. If it be stated that the owner is going 

 abroad or for some other specified reason, that the entire 

 stock must be sold at once, then my advice is be careful. 

 This precaution is hardly necessary when you purchase birds 

 from a well-known fancier, but at the same time it can do no 

 harm. 



RUPTURED HENS. If a hen gets ruptured through laying 

 her eggs, catch her and immerse her bowels in tolerably hot 

 water for a few minutes, then apply a little oil to the 



