DYSENTERY AND VOMITING. 83 



DYSENTERY. Treat as for diarrhoea ; and give also 

 one-half to one teaspoonful of castor-oil, with ten 

 drops of honey. The sticky feathers under the tail 

 should be washed with warm water. 



VOMITING, when caused only by fright, or anxiety, 

 or overeating, has but little significance ; but when 

 arising from inflammation of the stomach, and accom- 

 panied by weakness, shivering, loss of appetite, or 

 bloody discharges, should be treated as follows : Apply 

 warm or nearly hot poultices of bread or flaxseed to 

 the belly ; also apply sand as warm as is pleasant to 

 the hand. Give teaspoonful doses of a solution of 

 tannin, two parts to seventy-five or one hundred parts 

 of warm water two or three times a day. 



PULLING THE FEATHERS. This is caused usually by 

 improper food, too much hemp-seed, meat, or bones, 

 and too close confinement. Feed sunflower seeds and 

 annulled rice ; keep plenty of gravel in the cage, and 

 a constant supply of wood for the bird to gnaw. 

 Amuse the bird by giving spools and a " robust " china 

 doll to play with. Put a half-teaspoonful of glycerine 

 to a teacupful of tepid water, and spray the bird 

 thoroughly six to ten times daily, using the full dose 

 each time. Smear the plumage with the tincture of 

 bitter aloes. Put the bird into new surroundings to 

 occupy his attention. Some keepers have good results 

 by reducing the quantity of food by degrees, till the 

 bird gets only a third of its usual allowance ; then it 

 becomes weakened, its blood being reduced, and leaves 

 off the habit. For further information on diseases 

 and treatment, consult Holden's " Canaries and Cage 

 Birds." 



