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Miss Rosie Aedekson,



lie had been particularly strong and in fine plumage. I expect

the mischief started in the first place from the bird bruising itself

some time against the wire-netting, for these Rufous Pigeons are

very nervous birds. It was partly fright at being caught to be

doctored that killed the old cock bird, and the young one has

once or twice had a fit after being handled. Seeing the bird was

only getting worse I at last caught it and sent it away to be

operated upon. The operation was most skilfully done, and the

bird came back to me showing no scars and with its head a

proper shape again. I believe several tumours were removed,

one being so close to the eye as almost to press on the eyeball.

The eyes of course were left a little weak, and possibly it may

have been the cold winds we have had this spring, but the bird’s

sight a few weeks ago began to be affected and both eyes very

swollen and inflamed. Little by little his sight went, till at last

he was so blind with both eyes as not to be able to see to rise

from the ground. The'dove’s strength began to fail, and that

sign of weakness in a bird, a contraction of the toes, as if the

circulation was failing, began to show. I put down a bed of ha} 7 '

and some food and water near and thought I had better leave the

dove to die. I dreaded catching him, and it only seemed like

torture to try any remedy, but he looked so piteous—listening on

all sides and turning his sightless eyes to try and locate the

sound—that I determined to do what I could, though I had little

hope. On the aviary medicine shelf in the porch I keep a bottle

of boracic lotion, the formula of an oculist, and with this lotion in

a little warm water I bathed the Rufous Pigeon’s eyes ; at first

three times a day, now, after some weeks treatment only once.

I am thankful to say the bird has well recovered its sight with

one eye, but the other eye I am doubtful of, though it is very

much better. There is a small ulcer on the eyeball and it remains

to be seen if the sight comes back. It is strange how the colour

of the eye went and has now returned. One of the prettiest

points about the Rufous Pigeon is its very bright ruby eyes.

In the eye that has recovered, the colour is almost perfect again,

but in the other it is at present faded and pale, though improving.

When first I began the bathing both eyes were closed and so

terribly swollen that the shape of the head was quite distorted,



