38 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



Wasting. Another cause of complaint among the German young Canaries is 

 the wasting away of flesh, which comes from feeding too much plain rape, and not 

 enough rich, stimulating food in addition. The l>ird, if examined, will be found to 

 be almost a complete skeleton. Warmth and rich diet will prove beneficial in this 

 case. 



Temperature. A young bird should not be too suddenly changed to a colder 

 room ; for the result will be an inflamed, red appearance of the veins on the body. 

 Birds thus affected should be treated as for wasting. 



Surfeit. This appears in young birds of from a month to six weeks old, and is 

 caused by gluttony. Alum or a little common salt dissolved in the drinking-water 

 is recommended. The food should consist of bread and Canary-seed soaked in 

 boiled milk ; and the bird should be allowed a bath in tepid water, after which he 

 should be thoroughly dried. Feed sparingly on millet-seed for a few days. 



Constipation. It is often found, on buying a young Canary freshly imported, 

 that it shows signs of constipation by a frequent twitching of the tail. A German 

 authority prescribes the following : Take a piece of soft, stale bread, and soak it in 

 cream that has stood over night ; take the bread out, and allow the cream to adhere 

 to it ; sprinkle with a little maw-seed, and feed at once. Do not allow the mixture 

 to remain too long in the cage, as bad effects are sure to follow. This is a mild dose 

 and a speedy cure. 



The ailments to which the entire Canary race are subject are no more than could 

 be expected of birds kept in close confinement. The causes of diseases may be 

 divided into five classes : (1) The most common diseases result from exposure, or 

 from draughts of cold air when birds are hung in a warm room ; (2) From badly 

 ventilated rooms, or from being hung where the foul air, emitted with hot, burnt gas, 

 reaches them ; (3) Too much unwholesome food, and the feeding of too many 

 dainties ; (4) Sour or stale food, and foul drinking-water ; (5) Contagion. 



The medicines used in the treatment of Canary diseases are few and simple ; the 

 chief requirement in most cases being a change either in air. temperature, food, or 

 water. 



The chief diseases are troubles of the lungs or chest, and may result from a 

 variety of causes, from dampness, draughts, cold after bathing, or slight chills 

 during the moulting season. 



Consumption. The first result is a cold, which, if not cared for. develops into 

 consumption. Some birds are more easily affected than others, which is caused by 

 the hereditary character of this complaint. This illness must not be confounded 

 with asthma : the latter may be detected by the periodic attacks of wheezing. The 

 symptoms are about the same : in both cases there is a wheezing sound, and the bird 

 is more languid that usual. These symptoms continue da} 7 and night. The treat- 

 ment should consist of building up the constitution by means of nourishing foods. 

 The egg-mixture and an abundance of green stuffs should be given. A small dose 

 of castor-oil, when the disease first shows itself, will be found very beneficial. Keep 

 the patient in a temperature of 70 to 75. The water should be changed often, say 

 twice a day, and should have dissolved in it a small piece of gum-arabic, and a 

 little glycerine added. A drop or two of cod-liver oil will also give great relief. 



If the above treatment does not afford relief, strono-er remedies must be used. 



