6o THE PIGEON BOOK 



arises, and there is no proper secretion supplied to tiie 

 feather-glands. 



If I am right in assuming that one form of the disease 

 is due to kidney trouble or blood disorder, what is the 

 best remedy? 



I have noticed that the disease in this form is more 

 prevalent in localities nearer the sea and where salted grits 

 are obtainable in abundance than in other districts. 



If the gizzard and kidneys are given too much work to 

 perform the blood immediately becomes disordered. 



Improper grit, salt " cats," that induce birds to eat more 

 grit than is good for them, or salted shingle from the sea 

 beach eaten too freely as grit by the birds will, in my 

 opinion, induce this disease more quickly than anything I 

 know. 



The disease when it arises from Cause i is hereditary, 

 but if the environment is changed and if the management 

 of the birds when at fault is changed the descendants will 

 not show any traces of the disease whatever, and I have 

 known cases where neither the ascendants nor descendants 

 of the affected bird have shown the least taint. 



In the case of a valuable bird that is affected a, cure 

 may be effected by the following treatment. After the 

 moulting season separate the subject, and don't allow it 

 to breed in the spring. 



Feed on good peas, tares, and beans, not too old. 



Avoid hemp seed, canary seed, or small heating grains. 



Do not give any artificially-salted grits until the patient 

 is well again. 



Occasionally give a 5-minim capsule of olive oil in order 

 to regularly purge the subject, which is very essential, and 

 administer capsules of Parrish's chemical food twice 

 weekly. 



The bath should also be in constant and regular use. 



