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round both his eyes, having bald patches, otherwise he is not moulting.

I want to know whether he might have green food, and when he may

return to canary and rape seed, his usual food. The ants’ eggs were the

first things that seemed to do him good, and his appetite is much improved

and the complaint lessened to-day for the first time.


Shall be much obliged for your advice. M. W. E. Ward.


The following reply was sent to Airs. Somerset Ward:


In reply to yours of 7th iust., your Bullfinch appears to me to have

been suffering from a cold, though he seems to have got over the worst.

Feed on a generous diet i.e., canary, rape, and a little hemp, but when he has

hemp let him also have green food, groundsel, chickweed or lettuce. I

should also continue for a time, ants’ eggs and Abrahams’ egg, or ordinary

hard-boiled egg, and gradually drop it off. Later on, when privet berries

come in, I should let him have plenty of them if convenient, as they form

a large part of Bullfinches natural food at that time of year. See that the

cage is in a fairly regular, though not necessarily high temperature and

that it is not placed in a draught. J. LEWIS BonhotE.


LIOTHRIX PLUCKING ITSELF.


Sir,—I should be thankful if you could give me any information as

to the cause of my hen Pekin Robin’s death.


A pair of these birds lived in perfect health for four years, and were

in show plumage and condition. Suddenly the lieu began to tear out her

feathers, especially 011 her left side, till her body was bare and raw. At the

same time, she was evidently suffering severely. She was at once isolated,

kept perfectly quiet, and given an increase of insect food, but she never

ceased tearing at her feathers, and died within two day's from the first attack.

Her skin was perfectly clean, and free from any insect trouble : indeed both

birds are such frequent bathers, and keep themselves so clean, it would be

difficult for anything of that sort to gain a footing. They 7 have never

attempted to breed. Their food is the usual mixture, with mealworms,

flies, caterpillars, and fruit in season.


If you can tell me the cause of the disease I should be thankful, also

for any 7 advice as to its treatment in case it should recur. The birds are

kept in an unlieated room. E- F. Chawner.



7 'he following answer has been sent to Aliss Chawner :


Feather-plucking is due in most cases to irritation of the skin, the

only 7 exception I know of is in the case of the Cardinals, the males tearing

out their breast-feathers when courting, apparently to show off to the hens;

but, possibly, as with Canaries, to provide material with which to line the

nest.


Liothrix is subject, more than most birds, to liver trouble ; which is

liable to produce a hot irritable skin. The best remedy would be to

commence with a mild purgative—about six grains of Epsom salts in the

drinking-water for one day 7 ; on the following dav give fifteen drops of

laudanum and a teaspoonful of dandelion-juice ( taraxacumj in the drinking-

water ; then, for a week or so, give the dandelion-juice without the

laudanum ; and complete the cure by about ten drops of tincture of iron

and quinine in the drinking-water for several day's. A. G. BUTRER.



