Book II. O^^IT HO LO QT. 201 



In the rearing of young ones from the Neft obferve, i. To feed them often, but 

 to give them but little at a time, as the old ones do, for fear of over-charging their 

 ftomachs, and caufing them to caft up their meat. 2. After they begin to feed 

 themfelves, give not over feeding them prefently, left they neglect and ftarve them* 

 felves. 



Hard-beaked birds are to be fed with feeds, and of all feeds Aldrovandus commends 

 Canary- feed, as the moft favoury, pleafant, and wholfom of all other, which makes 

 them fing with greater alacrity, and alfo live long : For want of which you may 

 ( faith he ) give them Millet, Panic, Spelt, OfF-corn-wheat, Hemp-feed, and Lime- 

 feed 5 he might have added Rape-feed, Cole-feed, and many others. 



Soft-beakid birds are to be fed with heart of Veal or Weather, Worms, Flies, and 

 fuchkind of Infe&s, as alfo that fort of pafte the receipt whereof we (hall give you 

 in the Hiftory of the Nightingale. 



In preparing their meat have a care to free it from all skin, fat, and Sinews, or 

 firings, which will be apt to (tick in their Throats, or twine about their Tongues,and 

 caufe them to fall off their meat, &c. 



Aldrovands method to make birds fag in Autumn or Winter. 



A Bout the beginning of May purge them with Beet, firft mingling the juyce of it 

 with their water 3 then giving them no water at all, but only hanging up Beet- 

 leaves in their Cages, putting in alfo a handful of earth and rubbifh. Then by degrees 

 accuftom them to darknefsfor ten days, putting themftill in places darker and darker, 

 and at laftin a room perfedly dark, that hath not the leaft chink to let in light. Du- 

 ring all the time of their imprifonment in this dungeon, no body mull: come in there 

 but their Keeper, and he with a Candle once in three days to give frelh water and 

 meat, and tocleanfe their Cages: [It would be convenient to have two Cages, and 

 change them every twentieth day. ] Every fourth day give them a Beet-leaf, and 

 every tenth day juyce of Beet, elfe they will incur the danger of growing blind. In 

 this manner they mull: be kept till about the tenth of Auguji, and then new purged, 

 after the manner we before prefcribed, and then by degrees again accuftomed to the 

 light, but by no means expofod to the Sun-beams for tear of blinding them. This 

 doing you {hall beMafter of your purpofo. 



Difeafes incident to fwging birds ^ and their remedies. 



1. T}Lindnefs, which if radicated and confirmed is incurable 5 taken at firft,when their 

 X3 Eyes begin to water, may be remedied by giving them Sugar diflblved in the 

 juyce of Beet every other day for four days, and putting into their Cages a twig of 

 Figtree to rub their Eyes againft} which by the inftincl: of nature they will ufeto 

 do. 



2. The Falling ftcknefs, which AldrovandaKo accounts an incurable difeafe. If they 

 efcape the firft fit he advifes prefently to cut their Claws to the quick, andfgrinkle 

 them with Wine, and to keep them from the heat of the Sun all Summer. 



3. Fra&ures of the bones of their Legs or Wings: In which he advifes by no 

 means to fplinter or bind up the part , but only to take away the Perches out of their 

 Cages, and to fet their meat and water in the bottom of their Cages 3 and keep them 

 where no company comes to fcare them. 



4. Swellings and inflammations or impoftumes. 



5. An Hydropical dijiemper. 



6. TheGout, known by roughnefsandfwellingsin their Legs and Feet, efpecially 

 their Knees. 



7. The Phthijic or fubtile difeafe, in which their breaft veins are diftended, but 

 the flefti fallen away, and their Bellies fwelled as though they had the Dropfie. In all 

 thefe diftempers Aldrovand advifes ftill to purge with Beet, as was before pre- 

 scribed. 



8. Aphtha, or fmall Ulcers in their mouths, for the cure of which diflblve Pumpion 

 feeds in water, and give it them for their drink for three or four days, and when 

 you perceive them to mend, give them fine Loaf- Sugar in like manner diffolved in 

 water. 



9. The Pip, which may be known by the hardnefs of the end of their Tongue: 

 Small birds ( faith a late Englifh Writer) that feed upon Seeds are very feldom fubjett 



Dd to 



