136 BIRDS. 



LICE. 



Several varieties infest fowls, and certain cage-birds are 

 liable to these most troublesome parasites. 



Treatment. — Tliere is but one effectual preparation that 

 we know of, and that is rather troublesome to make. The 

 following are the directions : — 



Spirit of tar i fluid ounce. 



Hellebore powder - - - - J do. 

 Flowers of sulphur - - - - f lb. 



Mix the two powders intimately, and place on paper. 

 Take a pestle and mortar and pour into it the spirit of tar, 

 add the powder and mix until it becomes crumbly, then add 

 more powder until the whole is thoroughly incorporated. 

 The mixture will be slightly damp, and to ensure there 

 being no lumps, it should be passed through a sieve. The 

 birds must be held up by the feet and the powder dusted 

 into them two or three times at intervals of as many days. 



LIVER DISEASES- 



Except for the invasion of tubercle {see Tuberculosis, 

 page 128) the liver is rarely diseased in birds treated on rational 

 principles. The symptoms are offensive evacuations and 

 mopiness. 



Treatment. — Short commons, no drugs: plenty of 

 exercise. 



LUSH, OON, OR SOFT EGG. 



Cause. — In nearly every case this is caused by the 

 absence of sufficient calcareous matter, which can be supplied 

 by baked oyster shells, broken up. Cage-birds are so well 

 catered for by dealers, that the most suitable materials 



