25 



until the hard skin and cellular tissue only are left. This easily 

 obtainable remedy is of the utmost value in preventing- congestion, 

 constipation, or egg binding. 



DISEASES. 



Three such alarming words as I have just been obliged to make 

 use of, may awaken in my readers' minds, as in my own, sad memories- 

 of the past ; the time when many of us have experienced the 

 shady side of pet keeping ; when our own dear old Dicky was found 

 drooping, and none of the good things we gave him in our solicitude 

 were of any avail. As a faithful chronicler of all the various phases 

 of German Canary life, I cannot do better than introduce at this 

 point what I have ascertained during a long experience regarding the 

 most common of bird ailments and their cure. 



Should a mild aperient be necessary to one or more occupants of 

 the aviary, and this is a frequent result of sudden changes of tempera- 

 ture, there is no need to treat the patients separately. All that is 

 wanted is to mix with the next supply of crushed "Zwieback," for 

 say thirty adult birds, ten drops of cold drawn castor oil before the 

 egg is added, otherwise it will not mix. This rectifies the irregularity 

 in the affected birds, and does not harm the healthy ones in the least- 

 degree. Should labored evacuations continue the dose is repeated the 

 next day, and this remedy has proved so beneficial generally that some 

 breeders resort to it at given intervals, even if not actually needed, 

 simply as a preventive. 



In cases of more severe illness, individual treatment is unavoid- 

 able, and the patient must be housed in a well covered cage. 



Inflamed boivels, accompanied by diarrhoea, may be effectually 

 cured by :— 1st, mixing one drop tincture of opium with the drinking 

 water; 2nd, applying frequently to the abdomen warm sweet oil, or 

 when readily obtainable, balsam of nutmeg ; 3rd, maw seed ad libituml 

 besides ordinary grain food ; 4th, withdrawing all green food. ~ 



Constipation, recognized by frequent and fruitless exertion to void, 

 want of appetite and puffed plumage, should be met with 1st, a 

 clyster of warm oil — half olive, half castor; two drops of this 

 injected with a small syringe (usually made of an india-rubber ball 

 fitted with a tapering glass tube) frequently proves efficient, but may 

 have to be repeated an hour later ; 2nd, two drops of castor oil as 



