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Our  Canaries 
times  a  day  will  often  do  more  harm  than  any  medicine  can  remedy.  And  it  is 
not  always  possible  to  give  medicine  by  the  beak.  Some  birds  have  quite  a  forte 
for  holding  the  stuff  out  of  sight  in  the  beak  and  throat  as  long  as  they  are  held 
in  the  hand,  but  as  soon  as  they  are  released  a  sudden  jerk  of  the  head  scatters 
it  all  over  the  place.  There  is  a  right  and  a  wrong  way  to  do  it  which  our 
artist  has  endeavoured  to  show.  A  quill  is  the  most  serviceable  article  to 
administer  liquids  with,  as  this  can  he  held  firmly  between  the  mandibles, 
and  the  beak  held  upwards  and  head  backwards  in  the   best  position  for 
swallowing.  Do  not  let 
the  bird  have  free  use  of 
its  neck,  but  keep  it  a 
little  outstretched,  in  the 
natural  position  for 
drinking,  by  holding  the 
head  between  the  tips 
of  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger of  the  hand  hold- 
ing the  bird.  A  medicine 
dropper,  or  the  filler  of  a 
fountain  pen,  are  also 
very  useful  appliances, 
whilst  a  camel  pencil 
dipped  in  the  liquid  and 
held  against  the  sides 
of  the  beak  is  also  a  very 
easy  method  of  adminis- 
tration if  the  medicine 
is  not  very  objectionable 
to  the  bird.  Everything, 
however,  depends  upon 
the  individuality  of  the 
patient  and  attendant 
combined. 
WATER  AND  VESSELS  EMPLOYED. 
When  giving  medicines  in  the  water  the  kind  of  vessels  used  and  the  water 
supply  is  of  great  importance.  Only  glass  or  china  vessels  should  be  employed. 
Never  under  any  circumstances  give  medicines  in  any  kind  of  metal  drinker, 
as  the  drugs  contained  in  the  medicine  will  often  act  chemically  upon 
the  metal  surface  of  the  drinker  and  convert  the  contents  into  a  totally 
different  composition,  and  not  infrequently  render  it  most  harmful,  or  actually 
THE  MEDICINE  DROPPER. 
How  to  kold  it  when  giving  medicine  to  a  bird. 
