36 THE CANARY. 



BARE PLACES about the eyes or above the beak, 

 or around the neck, are caused often by too hearty 

 diet. Give only plain rape, also apple daily or 

 every other day until blood is changed so the feathers 

 grow properly. 



PULLING THE FEATHERS from the body or outer 

 part of wings is caused by bad blood. Give only 

 rape seed and the apple. 



A HARD GROWTH which forms just above the beak 

 may be touched daily with vaseline ; after a time the 

 core will drop off. This is a blood trouble; give 

 rape and apple. 



The universal cry is : " My bird will not eat the 

 rape." On investigation, I generally find that the 

 alleged rape is only mustard seeds, or turnip seeds 

 which are bitter, or that the mixture contains one 

 part rape and nine parts canary, or canary and millet 

 seeds ; or else, if the mixture has been made right, 

 fully half German summer rape, so much seed is 

 given each day that the bird has all he wants to eat 

 in his preferred seed, the canary, and so does not eat 

 the rape. 



A LARGE TEASPOONFUL OF SEED, provided it is m 

 a receptable from which the bird can get it all readily, 

 is enough for one bird one day. 



When I was a child and was offered mince pie and 

 bread, I never cared for bread ; bread was an insult ; 

 and so a bird always lives, if possible, with the idea, 

 " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." The 

 dying part is sure soon to follow when you permit a 

 bird to eat for some months as he wishes. 



