23 



means to provoke it. There are loam-pots to be had at the earthenware ihops 

 made on purpose, they are of a conical form, part of the cone or cap takes off, 

 for the reception of the loam, and there are holes in the side for the birds to get at it. 

 I am of opinion, that loam should he given only in the summer time, or breeding 

 season, and not in the winter, having good reason to think it occasions the roop, 

 or at least promotes it, and retards the cure when the bird is troubled with that 

 Cjomplaint, and the reason that occurs to me, seems to be feasible enough, which 

 is, that the roop being a sort of cold in the head, and the nose, or nostrils rather; 

 having a communication with the mouth, and being in that complaint always 

 stuffed with rheum or phlegm, I think it is fair to presume, that the constant 

 eating of cold loam may sometimes occasion the roop, or at least may tend to 

 make it worse, when a bird is already affected with it. I used formerly to suffer 

 my birds to eat it all winter, and they all had this complaint more or less. It 

 afterwards occured to me that this might possibly be the reason, and since that 

 time I have not allowed them any, after the cold weather has set in, and have 

 had the satisfaction of finding, that none of my birds have been affected witk it 

 since, in a general way, but only now and then one. Some Fanciers make a 

 composition of loam, gravel, and mortar, adding some salt, hut I think it is far 

 preferable to give them each of these (except the salt) in their crude or natural state. 



GRAVEL. 



Is essentially necessary for the birds to have always by them; and unless they 

 have, or some substitute in lieu of it, as sand or mould, I am inclined to think 

 they would not be healthy. It is absolutely requisite for the purpose of grinding 

 and digesting the food, which enters the stomach from the crop, in a whole, though 

 soft state, and was it not for the particles of gravel, little stones, and other hard 

 substances which they pick up, and which passes through the gizzard with the 

 food, and assists maceration and digestion, I should think birds would not only 

 become very unhealthy and indolent, but not live in our lofts to tha;t age which 

 they frequently do, some of them living with us nine, ten, and even eleven years. 



MORTAR. 



From the eagerness with which these birds search for, and from the avidity . 

 with which they devour mortar, one would think it was as absolutely necessai-y 

 to their existence as gravel, but reflection will teach us that it is not, for before 

 the mortar can reach the stomach it must he rendered soft, if not entirely dissolved, 

 and thereby become unfit,for the purpose of grinding the food, which is the use 

 of the small stones in the gravel, but it may possibly, from its heat, assist in 

 promoting maceration and digestion. Some Fanciers assert it will harden the 

 eggshell, when a ben is near laying ; but to this I cannot readily subscribe, 

 conceiving that mortar from its hot nature would rather corrode, than indurate 

 the shell. I do not however perceive that any ill effects arise from their eating 

 it, and on that account perhaps it may be fair to conclude, that it is of some service 

 to them. There is no doubt but their fondness for mortar arises from the quantity 

 of salt-petre, or saline particles, which it contains, and their immoderate partiality 

 for salt being universally known and admitted, I should think, that although they 

 are so fond of it, yet it is by no means absolutely necessary to their existence ; 

 but where Fanciers fly their birds, it is absolutely necessary to supply them well 

 with mortar, as a matter of policy, otherwise they will shortly unroof the house 

 they belong to, and greatly damage those adjoining, and bring their keepers into 

 difficulty. The mortar should not be new, hut should be got on purpose from 

 the rubbish of some old house or wall that is pulling down, which has lost the 

 greater part of its original heat, and which is therefore preferable to fresh made 

 mortar. 



