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other day, giving three, by no means exceeding four at a time. They should be taken 

 from the aviary or loft, judiciously placed near the fire for a few days. In my expe- 

 rience if birds are kept too long before the fire they seldom recover, air is more import- 

 ant to their health than heat — but changes are reqmsite at times. You will find in 

 your experience some birds may live one or two years, never hardy or vigorous, will not 

 match up, but moping about, even from the nest ; unfortunately it happens they have 

 some good properties about them, otherwise we should effectually cure them by cutting 

 off their heads. I consider more birds die of consumption, or wasting away, than any 

 other complaint, that is a reason why I endeavour to keep my birds fat. There is 

 some little danger, not a tenth part where the birds waste away and die of decline ; 

 sometimes it happens a bird will fall from its perch on the floor like a stone, on picking 

 it up will be dead, as fat as butter, no doubt the cause was overflow of blood to the 

 head, and might be called apoplexy. The vertigo or meagrims arises from the same 

 cause. If I happen to be in my aviary, or loffc, a bird falls off its resting place, or 

 taken in a fit, I plunge it into cold water as quickly as possible, and give it two com- 

 pound rhubarb and bitter aloe pills. There cannot be a doubt making a small puncture 

 in the roof of the mouth to let out a little blood might be attended with good effect, as 

 apoplexy, or vertigo, arises from too great a fulness of blood in the vessels of the head ; 

 if you do not let blood, well drench them with the pills. 



564. There are many absurd things recommended for the cure of pigeons too numerous 

 to mention, I will give you one or two — such as spiders wrapped in butter. Where 

 would you find a spider in a genteel house, unless you went into the wine cellars, there 

 your cobwebs are ornaments, as mirrors or glasses to your drawing rooms. If there is 

 any charm it arises from the butter ; then again giving them three or four cloves of 

 garlick. When I got garlick for my pigeons it so happened it was the first and last time, 

 when I had stripped it and came to the clove, I thought I would give it, if I wanted to 

 choak my bird, not having such desire I refrained from giving it ; likewise giving them 

 a purge of tobacco — these things are too troublesome. It is possible you might get the 

 garlick down the throat by quartering it, then four cloves making sixteen pieces : a 

 pretty treat to a Fancier if he has anything else to do, or to crown all, get tobacco 

 water down their throats to give them a purge. 



565. I am sensible the Almond Tumbler Fancier has great command of temper and 

 patience, he need have the patience of Job to try these things. My young Fancier, I 

 have not the power or right to prevent you from trying all you hear or read as to cures, 

 shall content myself with following my old fashioned way of considering a preventive 

 better than a cure. I am aware there are complaints over which we have no control — 

 for instance : a bird even from the nest never having a sound constitution, the vertigo 

 or meagrims, fits, &c. ; If I have a bird ill, from whatever cause, or bad eyes, &c, I take 

 it to my friend the chemist, he treats it as he would you or me, I advise you, my young 

 Fancier, to do the same, the sooner you take it after you have discovered something 

 wrong in the bird the better. According to your station in life, you may have an in- 

 timate friend or companion, a physician, surgeon, &c, as they are gentlemen by educa- 

 tion, their good sense teaches them, if you broach the subject, it was not intended as an 

 insult. I cannot inform you, otherwise I would, what it was that cured the black 

 mottled cock of the vertigo or meagrims, not considering it a fair question to put to my 

 friend the chemist. I now recollect taking Mooke's book to the chemist, and calling his 

 attention to paragraph 88, I have not any doubt the mixture he prepared was Mooee's 

 prescription, at all events it is worth trying, (see Mooee and'EATON's paragraphs 88). 

 Old tallow the size of a bean is an excellent thing for the roop, (whether it is the wet or 

 dry roop,* which is a cold and cough,) put down their throat, heals their breast, and 

 eases their breath ; it is possible some good may arise from the butter (but the spider ?) 



566. It is possible, from reading this Treatise, if two birds were in a pen, the one a 

 earner, the other a Tumbler, you might be able to discover the Tumbler, from the great 

 difference of the birds, when you come to know, the one-sixteenth part of an inch 

 excites the admiration of good Fanciers, it is infinitely more appreciated, and greatly 

 enhances the value of the bird. I have endeavoiu-ed to root and ground you in the 

 most important things connected with the Almond Tumbler, by calling your particular 

 attention to the five properties how to breed a ^ood bird ; ro raise it by food 

 and drink, to preserve it alive for nine, ten, or moil years by good management and 



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