The best. procedure is to whip. up a good sucs in a tub of lukewarm 
water and place the bird in it. The oil must be Cissolvec, but this 
process can be expeGited by stroking with a sponge or a picce of turkish 
towel, Stroke with the feathers to avoid breaking the shafts. If the 
birc is badly oiled, repeated washings with fresh suds may be necessary. 
“hen all possible oil has been removec, rinse the bird thoroughly with 
clear:tepic water and place it in a coop or cage to cry. This should be 
ouv of crafts, as a weter-soaked bird can soon be fatally chilled. 
The washing, if successful, will not: only remove the minerel oil 
but also~the natural oily dressing that gives the bird's plumaze its 
weteroroof character. This animal oi] must be restorec before allowing 
the bird again to enter the water. This step is most importent. 
Accordingly, the treatec bird must be kent caged for severel cevs (usually 
about a week) until it has time to Gress its plumage thoroughly with the 
oil secreted by the gland at the base of the tail. . Fooc anc crinkinz 
water, of course, must be suppliec, A test of the stege of feather 
cressing thet the bird has been able to achieve may be mace by sprinkling 
a fev drops of weter on its back or by placing it in a shallow pan of 
water. If the plumage shows a tencency to absorb weter, the cressing 
yrocess is incomplete anc additional time should »e allowed. ‘When the 
bird’ has attainec normal conditions, it may be released. on a suitable 
uncontaminatec water area. 

1744 
