BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 173 



Canary birds are also subject to epilepsy, to 

 asthma, to ulcers in the throat, and to extinction 

 of voice. The cure for epilepsy is doubtful. — It is 

 alleged that, if a drop of blood falls from the bill, 

 the bird shortly recovers life and sense; but if 

 touched, prior to the blood falling of itself, it occa- 

 sions death. One thing, however, is certain, that, 

 if they recover from the first attack, they frequent- 

 ly live after it many years, and sing as well as if 

 they had never experienced a fit ; and probably all 

 might survive were a slight wound given them in 

 the foot. The asthma is cm-ed by plantain, and 

 by hard biscuit soaked in white wine. Ulcers, 

 like the surfeit, proceed fi'om too much or too 

 succulent food, which brings on inflammation in 

 the palate ; it must be cured by cooling food, such 

 as lettuce-seed, with water, in which bruised melon- 

 seeds have been steeped. 



For extinction of voice, their food ought to be, 

 hard yolks of egg, chopped down with the crums 

 of bread ; and, for their drink, put a slice of liquor- 

 ice-root, or a blade of saffron, in the water. In 

 addition to these evils, canary birds are often in- 

 fested with a small insect owing to their being 

 kept dirty. To avoid this, they ought to have 



