54 



DISEASES IN PIGEONS. 



The worst of all diseases is the 

 canker. This complaint is generally 

 caused by birds pecking each other. 

 If the bird's stomach is out of order, 

 it will be the means of it breaking 

 out in disease. Some fanciers at- 

 tribute it to dirty water in the foun- 

 tain. But you will generally find 

 that the weakest birds are the most 

 subject to disease. The canker often 

 breaks out in the mouth or on the 

 eye, and sometimes in the ear. Get 

 a small pen knife and scrape the 

 canker completely off. Paint the 

 affected place with oil of vitrol, (sul- 

 phuric acid). The best thing to put 

 it on with is a small camel hair 

 brush. If the disease be on tne eye 

 great care must be taken, not to let the 

 vitrol get in it. If the bird has it 

 on the eye it is best plan to let it be 

 a few days and then very likely it 

 will pick clean off like a scab, if so 



