164 The Canary Book. 



unable to find. These are unmistakable symptoms, and when 

 observed a change of diet should be given such as a little 

 maw seed and a few groats, with an equal quantity of linseed 

 and niger seed mixed together, or a few stalks of plantain 

 well known in Scotland by the appellation of "rats' tails" 

 will be found very serviceable at this time. In the course of 

 a few days after you observe these signs, if the bird is in 

 vigorous health, several loose feathers may be found lying 

 here and there in and about the vicinity of its cage, and in 

 a few days more you will observe two narrow stripes of 

 feathers, much deeper in hue and more brilliant in colour 

 than its former covering, on each side of its breast; this is 

 a good omen, and the more rapidly these expand and spread, 

 and the more vivid the colour becomes, the better, for it is 

 all the more in favour of the bird getting speedily over it. 

 Let the birds have as much fresh air as you can at this 

 time, and be sure to keep their cages clean and supply them 

 liberally with sand and fine gravel, which assists them to 

 digest their food; but, above all things, be sure to keep them 

 quite free from draughts of cold air, as nothing is so detri- 

 mental to them as cold, for it not only checks, but in some 

 instances it has been known to stop, the process entirely, and 

 thereby caused the death of the birds. Never open the window 

 of the bird room on a cold, bleak day, especially when the wind 

 is from the east or north, or during damp and foggy weather ; 

 neither must you give them water to bathe in, except when 

 the weather is hot and dry, and then not too frequently. A 

 bath is very serviceable in promoting the growth of the 

 feathers, but judgment is necessary to regulate its use. 



A little magnesia should be given when the first symptoms 

 of moult are observed, say, ten or fifteen grains to a small 

 wineglassf ul of water ; this should be given as ordinary drink- 

 ing water. An old rusty nail, too, acts as a powerful tonic: 

 this should be kept constantly in the drinking trough. A 

 senna leaf or two may be used in preference to the mag- 

 nesia when thought desirable. A few shreds of meadow 

 saffron placed in the drinking water at this time will likewise 

 be found serviceable. I have found the following of great 



