IGNORANQE OF NATURAL HISTORY 



a skin disease ? It may at times arise from a peculiar 

 temperament, and be quite beyond the skill of the doctor 

 to advise or find a remedy, as it is done almost without the 

 knowledge of the individual who has acquired the habit, 

 which appears analogous, if not quite identical, with that 

 of feather biting. There is no doubt that some of these 

 nail-biters, after they have nibbled to the quick their 

 nails, would, had they feathers, soon reduce them to 

 stumps. 



Treatment. — The old Story, what to Eat, Drink, and 

 Avoid. — Feed the birds that bite their feathers upon 

 canary-seed and water, which afford good and wholesome 

 diet. As each seed requires to be shelled it occupies a con- 

 siderable part of the day to obtain a sufficient supply of 

 food; thus amusement, in part, is given, but in the case of 

 , the bird being unused to this seed care must be taken not 

 suddenly to change its usual food, otherwise the risk may 

 be run of half-starving a pet bird. Avoid hemp-seed, 

 meat, fat, bones, and all kinds of food likely to produce 

 irritation ; in warm weather let the bird be well syringed 

 with cold water every day, a common garden syringe being 

 used. This opera);ion must, however, be performed with 

 judgment and caution; the bird must not be suddenly 

 exposed to it, care and a daily increase being necessary, 

 otherwise a fatal result may ensue ; a slight sprinkle 

 being given on the first day or two. Caution must be 

 taken not to expose the bird in a cold or draughty place 

 after the bath, and let it dry itself in the sun. The bath 

 should never be given after the middle of the day, and 

 on no account in cold or wet weather ; the bird left in 

 the open air during a warm shower of rain would be the 

 best bath it could have. This treatment, with the cooling 

 food, canary-seed and water, is the best and most success- 

 ful one yet met with in preventing and curing the habit 



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