Our  Canaries 
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might  notice  nothing  much  wrong  with  these  birds,  but  mark  one  of  them,  and 
stir  it  up  during  the  day  so  that  it  hurries  about  the  cage  a  bit,  and  the  breathing 
is  at  once  hurried,  and  each  expiration  accompanied  by  a  whistling  sound. 
UNFIT   FOR  STOCK. 
"It  is  highly  undesirable  to  breed  with  birds  that  have  asthma  even  in  a 
small  degree,  as  the  tendency  to  it  is  passed  on  to  the  next  generation,  or  it 
may  miss  one  and  make  its  presence  annoyingly  evident  in  the  grandchildren. 
It  is  just  these  cases  which  are  missed  by  not  going  round  the  room  at  night 
that  may  mean  disappointment  and  lack  of  success  for  the  owner,  for  he  will 
quite  unknowingly  be  courting  disaster  by  perpetuating  the  strain,  which  must, 
and  will,  retrogress. 
"  Treatment,  to  my  mind,  is  useless,  as  the  tendency  to  it  is  never  got  rid 
of,  and  although  temporary  success  may  attend  efforts  at  alleviation,  the  com- 
plaint sooner  or  later  recrudesces.  It  is  usually  less  marked  in  the  summer 
months,  and  some  of  the  milder  asthmatic  hens  are  very  good  feeders,  and  may 
be  used  as  such  in  case  of  necessity.  It  is  true  that  diet  does  some  good  in 
cases  of  established  asthma,  but  it  does  not  eradicate  it.  I  have  seen  a  case 
of  asthma  alleviated  by  a  diet  of  maw  seed  alone  continued  for  three  weeks— 
but  not  cured,  only  lessened  in  degree. 
A  SIMULATIVE  CONDITION. 
"  There  is  one  condition  which  simulates  true  asthma,  and  that  is  when  a 
spasm  of  the  tubes  produces  irritation  in  the  digestive  organs.  Some  birds  eat 
enormously,  and  the  quantity  consumed  is  not  properly  assimilated,  and  the  bye- 
products  of  disordered  digestion  poison  the  system  and  give  rise  to  the  spasm. 
If  such  cases  are  treated  by  aperient  medicine,  such  as  Epsom  salts,  and  the 
bowels  thoroughly  cleared  and  the  diet  restricted  in  quantity,  the  trouble  dis- 
appears and  does  not  return  if  the  proper  quantity  of  food  is  given." 
SOME  COMMON  AILMENTS  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 
In  giving  a  brief  summary  of  some  of  the  ailments  which  are  likely  to  be 
met  with  among  Canaries,  and  the  treatment  most  efficacious  for  them,  a  few 
brief  words  of  warning  may  be  added  to  the  advice  already  given  concerning 
injudicious  "  doctoring  "  of  cage  birds.  In  the  first  place,  do  not  let  imagination 
run  riot  with  good  sense  in  perusing  such  a  list  of  ailments  as  is  here  given,  and 
fancy  that  every  bird  which  is  not  a  living  exponent  of  the  principle  of  perpetual 
motion  must  necessarily  be  suffering  from  one  or  other  of  these  ailments  and  in 
need  of  constant  dosage.  Among  birds  there  is  no  dissimulation  ;  no  sham 
illness  in  order  to  secure  an  easy  berth  and  a  larger  share  of  the  milk  of  human 
kindness.  They  vary  to  a  degree  in  disposition  and  temperament,  some  being 
naturally  as  sluggish  in  their  habits  as  others  are  mercuric  and  volatile.  But 
