The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



peck from some of its companions, but experience 

 proves that it is from the rapid growth of the wattle. 

 The only cure for them is removing them by a pair of 

 curved surgical scissors. In cutting be sure to remove 

 at same time the pimples spoken of, as to leave one of 

 them is to leave one of the main causes of irritation. 

 This can be done by drawing the spout well out with the 

 left-hand fingers and giving a quiclc cut. Some material 

 will have to be provided to stop the flow of blood. 

 Touching the wound with lunar caustic is often done, 

 which sears up the severed blood-vessels. A small piece 

 of cobweb is good, and if the bleeding is not very copi- 

 ous a little flour will answer. It needs two to perform 

 the operation well, one to hold the bird and one to do 

 the cutting. After it is cut, and the wound seared over, 

 rubbing it with a little vaseline occasionally until healed 

 is beneficial. The feet need to be hoppled for a day or 

 two to prevent its scratching the eye with the foot, 

 and a collar of pasteboard should be placed on the neck, 

 to prevent rubbing the eyes on the shoulder. This can be 

 made by taking a circular piece of pasteboard about 

 four inches in diameter, and cutting a hole in it large 

 enough to slip over the head. By attending to spouts 

 when they first begin to form they can be easily removed 

 and the eye-wattles kept smooth and regular. Frequent 

 bathing with a soft sponge and warm water will do 

 much towards keeping the wattles clean and in good 

 condition. Use the homeopathic remedy, apis, six pel- 

 lets in drinking-cup ; this will allay inflammation. 



MEGRIMS 



This is a nervous disorder in which the bird staggers 

 from side to side when attempting to walk, twisting 

 its neck in all directions, sometimes backwards, again 



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