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INTRODUCTION. 



f 20 



will be found the surest remedy against consumption, or 

 waste. Usually, birds suffering from this malady have a 

 voracious appetite for green food. Dr. Bechstein fed a Siskin, 

 which had already completely wasted, for three successive 

 days, with nothing but water cresses, and on the fourth it re- 

 commenced singing. 



Costiveness. — This "disease may be discovered from the 

 frequent unsuccessful endeavors of the bird to relieve itself. 

 Aperients will be of use. If a spider does not produce the 

 desired effect, anoint the vent of the bird with the head of a 

 pin steeped in linseed oil; this sort of clyster generally 

 succeeds. Boiled bread and milk is also of great service. 



Diarrhcea. — This is a disease to which birds that have been 

 caught recently are very subject, before they are accustomed 

 to their new food. Most of these die of it ; they continually 

 void a white calcareous matter, which sticks to the feathers 

 round the vent, and being very acrid causes inflammation in 

 that part and in the intestines. Sometimes chalybeate water, 

 (iron water,) and the oil clyster produce good effects ; but it is 

 better, if possible, to procure for the bird its most natural food. 

 Some people pull out the feathers from the tail and vent, and 

 then rub these parts with fresh butter, but this is a very 

 painful and cruel operation. They also mix the yolk of an 

 egg boiled very hard with their food, but this does not succeed 

 very well. If there be any hope of curing this disease, it is by 

 attacking it at the beginning, before inflammation is violent ; 

 boiled bread and milk, a plenty of lettuce, or any other similar 

 green refreshing food, generally effects a cure. 



In a case of chronic diarrhcea, which almost reduces the 

 birds to skeletons, Dr. Handel, of France, prescribes chaly- 

 beate water, mixed with a little milk for their drink, which, he 

 says, is an easy and certain cure. 



Bloody Flux. — This is a disease with which some parrots 

 are attacked. The best remedy is to make the birds drink a 

 plenty of boiled milk, or even very fat broth ; for their intes- 

 tines, which are very much irritated, require something sooth- 

 ing to protect them from the acrid discharges, which, at the 



