Diseases of Pigeons. 
377 
altogether absent. Mr. Brent even supposes that the proper food of this insect being the down 
near the root of the feather, it is of real use to the bird in preventing the plumage from becoming 
too close and warm. As soon, however, as a bird becomes weak and ill, both this insect and the 
larger one known as the pigeon-louse generally increase to an amazing extent, particularly round 
the head and neck, and most of all at the root of the beak, which the bird cannot of course reach 
to preen itself. Birds with wry-beaks are also, as before mentioned, unable to dress themselves, and 
so get infested. Pigeons thus pestered, from whatever cause, look truly miserable, owing as we 
believe to actual exhaustion from their constant efforts with the beak to rid themselves of their 
tormentors. Leaving the droppings to collect is also a fruitful cause of vermin. There is still 
another insect, a small round one, which most fanciers call the “ pigeon-bug.” This is a kind 
of tick, and also comes from allowing the excrement to collect, especially in the nest-boxes. It 
torments the old birds so that they will often leave their eggs or young, while the latter are even 
killed by it, as it really bites, and sucks the blood. 
The first, or feather-louse, gives the bird little or no trouble, unless allowed to increase to an 
extent quite impossible under ordinary care. For the next, or pigeon-louse, the best plan is to 
pluck all the feathers from round the root of the beak, at the gullet, round the vent, a few between 
the shoulders, and any other place where the eggs can be found ; then anoint the bare places 
with citron ointment, or benzine, and rub it in also at the bare places under the wings. The 
ointment should be applied three times in the course of a week, which will kill all except in 
wry-beaked birds ; these latter should be treated for double the time, and afterwards looked 
after occasionally. Keep the bird under treatment in a pen thickly covered with pine sawdust. 
The tick or bug is such a torment that we strongly urge every precaution against it, by oil- 
painting the nests and pans, and renewing the sawdust once a week, or oftener if the least sign of 
vermin be perceived. The young ones may be relieved by anointing all over the heads and necks 
with grease or turpentine ; but if numerous, there is nothing for it but to pick them off, which is 
not so impracticable as it would seem. 
Some lofts are infested by very small mites, black or red in colour, and smaller than the head 
of a pin. It is very difficult to dislodge them if they once get a footing, as they creep away into 
cracks and crevices. The best treatment of the nests in such a case would be a thorough syringing 
with diluted carbolic acid, or painting with paraffin. The sawdust is, however, a preventive, and 
this is better than any cure. We mention it again, because some fanciers have a strange prejudice 
against it, and will not use anything but wooden pans or boxes, in which they put cut straw or 
hay. Such will be liable to many annoyances from which those who adopt our more cleanly 
method will be exempt, and vve cannot promise any radical cure. Where sawdust cannot be had, 
it is likely that an occasional sprinkling with turpentine or paraffin might have somewhat similar 
effect ; but painted boxes and earthenware nest-pans, at least, are within the reach of all. We 
know straw and hay really bring insects where there were none before, and the only objection that 
can be really urged against sawdust is that weakly birds — such as short-faces — which cannot hold 
their heads up, sometimes get irritated in the eyes. We believe any such must be so weak they 
would not ultimately be reared ; but to those who object to sawdust on this account, we may 
recommend a plan described by Mr. Eaton, who advises the sawdust to be shaped into a concave 
by pressing the bottom of another pan into it, and then covered with a circular piece of rush- 
matting steeped in tobacco-water. Few insects will appear in such a nest, and the matting may 
be cleaned and re-soaked after each use ; but to make assurance doubly sure, Eaton tells us he 
was in the habit of putting a very little wormwood instead of anything else inside the matting 
(i.e., the side next the birds). 
