Treatment of Birds when SicL 57 



tives from this discomfort as well as from the one- 

 which I will mention in case of a similar need. 



3. I once bought two birds at the door which 

 were evidently made very uncomfortable by a torment 

 arising from want of bathing very minute red insects 

 like cheese mites, which were amongst their feathers.. 

 These birds were twice dusted with Duniont's or 

 Keating' s insect powder, taking care that the powder 

 did not get into their eyes ; and after the second 

 time of dusting, the patients appeared quite well. 

 They bathed, at the same time, frequently, their cage 

 was well scrubbed daily with yellow soap and water : 

 but newly-bought birds, for fear of such annoyances,, 

 should never be mixed at first with others, unless they 

 are obtained from a dealer on whom one can depend. 



4. Some birds, more particularly Canaries, have 

 a talent for taking cold, and are heard conversing- 

 in the hoarsest tones. For this a piece of Spanish 

 liquorice about the size of a pea, dropped into the 

 water glass, is a very simple remedy. If, however, 

 it is left there long, I always give a second glass 

 of clean water after a short time in the morning, 

 as the birds soon begin to dislike the taste if they 

 have nothing else to drink. My birds the other day, 

 some light-coloured Canaries, thought proper to wash 

 in this cough mixture ; the effect was not ornamental, 

 but I suppose less injurious in the end than most 

 cosmetics are. 



