EREIN are given general directions for 
the care of all kinds of birds. These di- 
rections were given tome by Mr. Stephen 
Stacey, a curator of the bird house in 
et the New York Zoological Park, who also 
generously outlined the care and diet of many species 
of birds as given in this volume. 
All birds must have clean, pure water. Drinking 
cups should be disinfected often by washing thor- 
oughly in the following solution: Two one-grain 
tablets of permanganate of potash dissolved in one 
quart of water. 
If birds are affected with looseness of the bowels, 
they should be given boiled milk to drink instead of 
water. Bismuth may be added to the boiled milk 
in the proportion of a small pinch to two tablespoon- 
fuls of milk. Also a pinch of bismuth mixed with 
hard-boiled egg will serve to tighten the bowels of 
seed-eating birds. 
When the birds are affected with constipation, 
and this is often the cause of their being dumpish 
and out of sorts, milk of magensia may be given, 
four or five drops diluted in the drinking water. 
Three or four drops of salad oil willalsoserve to loosen 
the bowels. Castor oil should never be used, unless 
the bird is egg-bound. 
If the bird seems weak and miserable, afew drops of 
blackberry brandy, diluted with water may be given. 
One-fourth as much brandy as water may be given 
to a bird as large as a jay, but should be much more 
diluted for a little bird. 
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