62 Song Birds. 



made for oiling their feathers and keeping them 

 waterproof, and this prevents, at the same time, cold- 

 catching, from wet penetrating the feathers, and 

 inflammation, often accompanied by a painful spot, that 

 forms a little above the tail feathers from the accumula- 

 tion of the oil. In the open air morning mists and 

 summer showers soon compel the birds to attend to this 

 duty, in-doors it is well to remind them of it by a 

 gentle sprinkle from a brush or syringe, always choosing 

 for this a time when the sun is shining. A little 

 glycerine, or even cold cream, put on with a feather, 

 is the best remedy, if any is required ; but I think if 

 the birds are taught to bathe, the disease will not 

 often show itself. 



12. One caution I must give most emphatically; it 

 is, never to let young birds fly loose in a room for many 

 weeks after they are fledged, unless they have been 

 used to hop about in one before they can fly at all, or 

 are brought out of the nest under parental care, when, 

 of all sights connected with the aviary, one of the 

 very prettiest is the young brood's early lessons. If, 

 however, a little bird is let fly alone, it will fail in 

 balancing its flight, so as continually to strike its head 

 against the wall or ceiling ; and if there are windows 

 with the blinds drawn up, or glasses of any kind, it 

 will most likely strike against them and hurt itself. 

 I lost several beautiful little birds this year, entirely 

 from the accident of their thus getting loose. 



