DISEASES OF THE WOODLAEK. 
teaspoonfuls of wheat flour. Beat well together, and rub 
through a sieve. 
Diseases of the Woodlark, and How to Cuee Them. — 
The woodlark is a delicate bird, and more subject to disease 
than any of his brethren. Amongst other complaints, that 
known as “ tympany ” occasionally attacks him. Sometimes 
only at one portion, sometimes the whole, of his body .will be 
swollen to an alarming size. Dreadful as the poor bird looks, 
his cure can be effected almost instantaneously. Prick the part 
affected with a needle, and immediately the air that has accu- 
mulated beneath will escape, and the poor little fellow gives 
himself a shake and is as well as ever. 
The “pimples,” or stoppage of the fat glands, is another 
“ ill ” to which the flesh of the woodlark is “ heir.” The 
best remedy for this is the one prescribed by Bechstein, 
so I will faithfully transcribe the recipe from his “ Chamber 
Birds : ” — 
“ Every bird has, above the rump, a gland which secretes the 
oil required by the bird to smear its plumage, to retain them 
supple, and to prevent the moisture passing through. In 
confinement, birds neglect the frequent pressure of this gland, 
as they are more rarely exposed to getting wet than when at 
liberty, and consequently it becomes hard and inflamed. If the 
bird is seen sitting and drooping, the tail bending downwards, 
or if the feathers upon the rump are observed to be ruffled, and 
that the bird frequently pecks at them, you should see if the 
swollen gland is not the cause. This may be frequently sof- 
tened by the application of very fresh butter, mixed up with 
a good deal of sugar, the aperture being enlarged by gently 
distending it with a needle or a small knife ; but a lead salve, 
or rather a salve of litharge, white lead, wax, and olive-oil, 
which must be ordered at an apothecary’s, opens it best. The 
usual remedy is to pierce it with a needle, or to cut off the 
hardened gland. But this process, whilst it removes the stop- 
page, destroys the gland, and birds thus healed usually die 
at moulting from wanting the oil requisite to smear their 
feathers.” 
Tscheiner, another Herman naturalist of note, says of this 
malady : — 
“ If this evil have not yet too severely affected the health of 
the bird, it may be sought to be remedied by puncturing the 
gland, compressing it frequently, bathing the bird with a 
syringe, and plucking out some of the feathers of the tail. 
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