The Feather's Practical Pigeon Boole 



hard, round substance. If it still remains after attempts 

 have been r.iade to dislodge it, the scrofulous cheesy 

 matter so often mentioned in connection with pigeons, 

 will begfin to collect until it becomes firmly fixed where 

 checked, and the bird becomes emaciated, helpless, and 

 gradually dies. Many times a trouble of this kind will 

 lead one to think of fallen gizzard, and naturally be 

 at first inclined to believe it to be this trouble. In this 

 affliction, however, the abdomen does not swell and be- 

 come distended as in fallen gizzard, and this is the prin- 

 cipal feature by which one can be distinguished from 

 the other. The cause of this trouble is, no doubt, want 

 of proper exei-cise, and an unnatural mode of living, 

 causing a lack of mviscular force in the action of the 

 oviduct, also a feverish condition of same, resulting in 

 a diminished secretion of mucus, which usually rend- 

 ers the lassage of the egg to the vent easy. The egg 

 in its passage downward, reaching a dry or feverish por- 

 tion of the oviduct, becomes checked in its course, and 

 the weakness of the muscles of the oviduct, not being 

 able to force it by this point, it remains immovably 

 fixed. The remedies usually applied are holding the 

 abdomen and vent of the sufferer over steam, not hot 

 enough to burn, and oiling a feather with sweet oil and 

 introducing it into the vent. I would recommend if the 

 passage to the oviduct can be determined, a small in- 

 jection of warm sweet oil, the object being to supply 

 the lack of mucous secretion usually furnished by a bird 

 in robust condition. Sometimes a small quantity of 

 New Orleans molasses is given internally, this having 

 a loosening effect. ' Floni. remedy gelsemium can be 

 given in water as before described. 



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