Our  Canaries 
even  the  most  slow  and  sluggish  bird  is  not  necessarily  sick,  and  makes  no 
pretence  of  being  so.  If  closely  observed,  it  will  always  be  found  lacking  in  that 
woe-begone  appearance  of  utter  collapse  which  characterises  the  bird  that  is 
really  ill.  When  a  bird  becomes  ill  from  an  acute  disease  it  quickly  shows 
unmistakable  signs  of  its  trouble.  But,  even  so,  nothing  is  more  difficult  than 
for  the  amateur  to  differentiate  between  symptoms  which  seem  all  "much  of  a 
muchness,"  and,  as  remarked  on  a  previous  page,  no  time  should  be  lost  m 
seeking  expert  advice  when  one's  initial  treatment  fails  to  bring  about  speedy 
improvement. 
FIRST  STEPS  IN  TREATMENT. 
Never  resort  to  drugs  until  more  simple  and  natural  means  have  failed.  If 
a  bird  that  is  naturally  bright  and  active  becomes  dull  and  listless,  the  condition 
of  the  bowels  should  be  noted.  This,  in  fact,  should  be  one  of  the  first  points 
to  consider  in  every  case  of  illness.  If  there  is  any  constipation,  the  withdrawal 
of  all  hemp  and  rape  from  its  diet  for  a  day  or  two  and  the  substitution  of  a  fair 
supply  of  crisp,  tender  green  stuff,  or  a  ripe  grape  broken  open,  will  frequently 
set  matters  right.  If  it  does  not  do  so  in  the  course  of  a  day,  then  a  pmch  of 
Epsom  salts,  or  twelve  drops  of  syrup  of  buckthorn  should  be  added  to  each  two 
tablespoonfuls  of  drinking  water  until  the  necessary  effect  is  obtained.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  diarrhoea  exists,  a  dose  of  Epsom  salts  should  still  be  given  for  one 
day  only,  and  a  little  hemp  and  maw  added  to  the  diet,  all  green  food  withheld 
and  a  scrap  of  ripe  banana  substituted.  A  little  dry  crushed  plain  biscuit  each 
day  will  also  help  to  give  relief  If  this  is  not  effectual,  provided  no  fault  can 
be  found  with  the  feeding  and  hygienic  conditions,  and  no  other  symptom  of 
illness  presents  itself,  twenty  drops  of  whisky  and  five  of  tincture  of  opium  in  each 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  water  will  soon  bring  about  the  desired  effect,  and  the 
patient  recover  its  normal  condition. 
SAFETY  WITH  UTILITY. 
As  a  first  step  in  the  treatment  of  ill-health  an  aperient,  such  as  a  dose 
of  Epsom  salts,  or  sulphate  of  soda,  equivalent  to  as  much  of  the  powdered  drug 
as  will  cover  a  sixpence  in  each  two  tablespoonfuls  of  drinking  water  for  one  day, 
is  invariably  a  safe  thing  to  give  even  if  the  most  pronounced  symptom  is  undue 
looseness  of  the  bowels,  provided  only  that  the  evacuations  are  not  tinged  with 
blood.  Never  continue  any  drug  treatment  daily  for  a  length  of  time.  When- 
ever the  use  of  drugs  is  necessary  it  is  best  to  give  them  only  on  alternate  days 
with  pure  water  in  between,  or  for  one-half  of  each  day,  with  pure  water  on  the 
remaining  half.  In  very  acute  cases,  however,  medicine  may  be  given  for  a  short 
time  two  days  in  every  three,  but  pure  water  should  be  allowed  at  least  every 
third  day. 
The  list  of  ailments  now  given  in  alphabetical  order  for  convenience  of 
reference  must  not  for  a  moment  be-  taken  as  the  sum  total  of  the  ills  bird 
