136 
Our  Canaries 
FEVER. 
Septic  fever,  which  occurs  in  many  forms,  and  is  one  of  the  worst  diseases 
the  fancier  has  to  contend  with,  is  the  only  form  of  much  importance  to 
the  ordinary  fancier.  Its  only  remedy  lies  in  prevention  and  hygienic 
treatment.  It  is  too  important  a  subject  to  deal  with  in  a  limited  space,  so 
every  fancier  should  provide  himself  with  Dr.  R.  H.  Clarke's  exhaustive 
treatise  on  the  subject,  entitled.  Septic  Fever,  jd.  post  free,  and  the  Nutshell 
Series  booklet  on  Disinfection  of  Bird-rooms  and  Cages,  2jd.  post  free,  both 
published  at  the  office  of  Cage  Birds. 
FITS. 
Epilepsy  is  occasionally  a  serious  trouble  with  unhealthy  weakly  individuals. 
Treatment  in  almost  every  case  is  extremely  unsatisfactory,  and  it  would 
invariably  be  the  kindest  and  most  prudent  course  to  chloroform  an  epileptic 
subject.  If  treatment  is  attempted,  it  should  aim  at  by  a  thoroughly  wholesome 
diet,  not  too  rich,  and  keeping  the  bird  in  the  best  general  health,  and  not  fat 
condition.  Keep  the  bowels  regular  with  occasional  mild  aperients  if  necessary, 
but  preferably  with  a  well-proportioned  diet  containing  a  good  supply  of 
green  food  ;  and  give  five  grains  of  bromide  of  potassium  in  each  ounce  of 
drmking  water  two  days  in  every  three  every  alternate  week  whilst  attacks  are 
frequent. 
INDIGESTION. 
Digestive  derangement  may  be  suspected  when  a  bird  is  unthrifty  and 
always  out  of  condition,  and  is  constantly  at  the  seed,  cracking  seed  and 
nibbling  and  rejecting  the  kernel.  If  the  seeds  are  faultless  in  quality,  give 
such  birds  a  supply  of  a  mixture  of  three  parts  Canary  to  one  part  summer  rape, 
and  add  separately  each  day  a  morsel  of  bread  sopped  in  cold  milk,  drained  and 
sprinkled  with  a  little  soft  sugar  and  a  pinch  of  maw  seed.  Give  a  little  green 
food  daily  if  seasonable,  and  at  other  times  a  morsel  of  ripe  banana.  Add  three 
drops  of  syrup  of  rhubarb,  and  as  much  Epsom  salts  as  will  cover  a  threepenny- 
piece  to  each  tablespoonful  of  drinking  water  every  second  day  for  a  week,  and 
on  the  alternate  days  three  drops  each  of  tincture  of  gentian,  tincture  of  calumba, 
and  aromatic  sulphuric  acid.  Continue  the  latter  on  alternate  days  until  bird  is 
eating  seed  freely,  and  then  gradually  withdraw  the  bread  and  milk. 
LEPROSY. 
A  disease  affecting  the  feet  of  Canaries  was  brought  to  our  notice  some 
years  ago  as  being  very  common  among  Canaries  in  the  West  Indies,  which 
would  appear  to  be  closely  allied  to,  if  not  actually  analogous  with,  leprosy 
of  the  human  subject.  It  is  locally  known  as  "  Crab,"  and  takes  the  form  of 
a  growth  of  a  waxy-looking  substance  on  the  under  surface  of  the  feet. 
Until  recently  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  known  in  this  country  except  in 
