$hroat ; be this as it niay, if the cpmplaint is suffered to gp on without any attempt 

 to relieve the bird, the core will enlarge, the throat swell, and the bird soon die of 

 suffocation. 



Some people are apt to pick off the core, or cut it out, but this is not only of no 

 use, but fatal, as the core soon becomes larger than before, and could it all be cut 

 clean out, the bird would die very shortly, if not in a few minutes. 



I have more than once opened the throat of a bird that died of this disease, and 

 all the information I could obtain was, that the core adhered so tight to the fleshy 

 or muscular parts of the throat, that it actually appeared like a part of the flesh, 

 being as it were incorporated with it, except that the colour of the core, being of a 

 yellow, distinguished it from the throat itself: the core was perfectly hard, and 

 would separate from the flesh, by pulling, or picking it with a knife, but this was 

 with some difficulty, on account of the adhesion, and when it did separate, it left 

 a large and deep hole. I have been surprised that I never should have been able 

 to discover any pus in the throat, which induces me to think that no suppuration 

 takes place, but this is probably because the bird must die of suffocation frpQi the 

 swelling in the throat, before the matter can have had sufiicient time to form, and 

 discharge itself. 



My researches therefore have not been attended with any certain success, but 

 have left me still to conjecture. 



One thing however I have ascertained, that to cut or pick the core, is fatal 

 sooner or later, from the great pain and quantity of blood the bird loses from these 

 operations. 



Although as I have at first observed, this disease is more particulai'ly incident 

 to young birds in the nest, yet it is by no means uncommon in old birds ; it does 

 not in general attack the throat, as in the young ones, but appears in a different 

 way, and usually comes about the mouth and beak, and is not to be discovered 

 very readily at first, but when it begins to enlarge, the bird will not be able to 

 close its mouth, and seems as if it was panting for breath, and on examining it, the 

 core will soon be discovered. I once had a bird that was attacked with this 

 complaint, and I discovered a core as big as a pea, on the outside of the beak or 

 lower jaw, which was much swoln, and it was with great pain and difliculty that 

 the bird could swallow : this had no doubt been some time forming, but it soon 

 gave wSy on applying the remedy I have under written. 



Not being sufliciently able to trace the cause of this disorder, I must endeavour 

 to make some amends to the Fancier by communicating a cure when the effect is 

 produced: and which, if attended to, and frequently and patiently administered, 

 will, I have no doubt, generally succeed. 



I cannot describe the quantums and proportions of the ipgredicnts in the way a 

 medical man would do, but must content myself with telling the Fancier in a plain 

 way — to take 



A half-pint phial, and fill it three parts full of the best vinegar, drop into it as 



many drops of spirit of vitriol as will make it suflBciently pungent, which 



may be ascertained by trying it on the tongue a few times, sweeten it 



with a little honey, which will make it adhere to the throat, shake them 



well together, and take a feather, and anoint the inside of the throat of 



the bird affected, two or three times a day, and in general a cure will be 



accomplished ; hang the phial up in the loft, where it will be ready for 



future occasions, as I do not perceive that the specific loses its virtue by 



keeping. 



That this complaint is contagious, I have no doubt, for it generally attacks a 



number of young birds at the same time, and is most prevalent in the hoi months. 



Formerly this complaint used to infest my loft every season, by which I lost many 



good birds, but from what cause it arose I never could discover, the same degree 



