102 CANARIES 



Baldness. 



This is a most curious disease, and one which often 

 makes its appearance in the month of February, just 

 when the birds should be coming into form for breeding. 

 Many at that time lose the feathers about their heads and 

 necks. This baldness is also accompanied by a certain 

 amount of weakness. This complaint, nine times out of 

 every ten, is caused, in my opinion, by the owner failing 

 to supply his birds with fresh vegetable food during the 

 winter months. 



It is quite right to avoid green vegetables from November 

 till February, if there is any danger of the supply being 

 frosted, but it must be evident to all who have ever given 

 the matter a moment's consideration that the with- 

 drawal of fresh vegetable food must in some degree 

 affect the birds in a manner prejudicial to their 

 general well-being. When the supply of green food, 

 such as watercress, lettuce, groundsel, etc., is discon- 

 tinued in the fall of the year, its place should be sup- 

 plied by apples and boiled carrot. Some fanciers grate 

 a Httle raw carrot, and mix it with the egg-food two 

 or three times a week. 



It is the want of this fresh vegetable food that produces 

 the baldness, owing to the birds becoming surfeited on 

 their usual hard seed and egg-food. The latter food, 

 being very stimulating and heating, causes a feverish 

 condition of the skin in cases where no coohng vegetable 

 matter accompanies it. 



When a bird becomes affected, it should be isolated 

 in a large cage, so that it may get plenty of exercise. 

 The bald spot should be rubbed each day with just 

 a touch of vaseline. Fresh vegetable food should be 

 given daily, but not too freely at first, or an attack 

 of diarrhoea will be brought on. It should be allowed to 

 bathe every day. A tonic of some description should 

 be given in its drinking water every morning ; two 

 or three grains of citrate of iron and quinine to an ounce 

 of water would be about the right proportion. Any 

 bird which has been affected should not be put up for 

 breeding till several weeks after its feathers have resumed 

 their usual appearance. 



