2<52 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



fast, French: "Monsieur! zis paro', he hung in window, he fall! Och ! Mon 

 Dieu ! up tree steorry. Ze madame will keel me ; och ! Moil Dieu ! ze paro' do not 

 move, he must be var seek." "Oh, no, John ! a glance tells me the bird is not 

 sick." At that a joyful smile replaces John's look of agony. "He is not sick, 

 John, he is simply dead." I feared for a momont it would be flowers for two ; but 

 John revived, and returned the next day to say that the Parrot had a "beautiful 

 funeral." It is dangerous to hang a Parrot out of the window if he can work the 

 nut loose that holds the hanging-ring to the cage. 



The feathers on any kind of a bird sometimes come off in patches, and new 

 ones do not grow : this is usually owing to improper feed, either too rich, and the 

 blood is out of order ; or too poor, and the bird derives little nourishment from it. 

 A bird fed on all sorts of things will have all sorts of diseases. Feed a ragged, 

 seed-eating bird on a mixture two-thirds German summer rape, and the one-third 

 equal parts Sicily canary and millet seeds. Keep him in a cage twelve or sixteen 

 inches long, with plenty of gravel for a daily bath, but let the bird remain in a 

 dark place except during the bathing-hours for four to six weeks. At the end 

 of that time the plumage will usually be perfect. If the bird belongs to the soft- 

 bill family, keep him on a diet of boiled egg and boiled potato mixed ; or, if he 

 refuses that, give the dry, or box, prepared food, with grated raw carrot mixed 

 with it ; confine in darkness in a large closet, or room that can be made very dark 

 for six weeks, or until the plumage is perfect. 



Asthma, or hard breathing, if not checked in season, greatly injures the vocal 

 powers, and, at times 5 completely deprives a bird of his voice. Stop that cough ! 

 if you let it " run wild," asthma is sure to follow. In asthmatic cases feed nearly 

 plain rape from which, with a sprinkle of water, you have washed the dust and 

 a little canary seed ; feed daily, also, bread and milk sprinkled with red pepper, and 

 let a piece of raw, fat salt pork hang in the cage as long as the asthma continues. 

 Put three drops of the tincture of aconite in a half-gill of water, and let the bird 

 drink as much as he will each day ; mix a fresh dose every morning. I have known 

 many bad cases alleviated, and some of them cured, by the use of regular bird 

 tonics and cures. In a severe case, probably incurable, it is humane to resort to 

 chloroform, and thus relieve the bird of his misery. 



When a bird gets mangled beyond possible recovery, it is evidence of the kind- 

 est heart to administer chloroform. To do this, make a paper horn large enough 

 to hold the bird ; let six drops of chloroform drop into the bottom, put the bird 

 in, and close the top of the horn. His suffering is ended. Death is painless and 

 instantaneous. 



JANUARY FEBRUARY. 



If I should write an item on dress-coats, or thirteen columns on the shades of 

 felt hats now worn so extensively, the first suggestion to an intending buyer would 

 be, do not throw away money on a poor article. So, too, if you want a diamond, 

 it is better to purchase a small and perfect ivhite stone, than a larger one that has 

 specks in it, or is off color. In regard to all kinds of live-stock, more than any 

 other line of goods, it is wise to purchase only the best. Above all other kinds ef 

 merchandise, it may be truly said that cliettp live-stock is dear at any price. Good 



