TRAINING, FOOD, AND DISEASES. 
37 
to do without the cage altogether, and to attach the bird to an open perch 
fixed to an ornamental stand. When this is done, care should he taken 
that a slight metal chain should be used 
for the purpose, as any less durable mate¬ 
rial would speedily be bitten through by the 
parrot’s powerful beak. One of the most 
tiresome maladies from which birds of the 
parrot family suffer is diseased feet. Not 
only is it unsightly, causing the poor crea¬ 
ture to squat down in an ugly manner, but 
the pain is sufficient to spoil the temper of 
the most amiablo parrot that ever lived. 
In nine cases out of ten, the sore feet are 
occasioned by some fault in tho perch. It 
is not kept clean, or it is merely a straight 
round stick. This latter shape should be 
avoided. Let the perch be at least a third 
bigger in the middle than at the ends, tapering gradually. This will afford 
the bird considerable ease, and tempt him to change his footing. 
The macaw cage should be cylindrical, and at least three feet and a half 
in diameter, and six feet high. Unless the blue macaw has at least this 
space for exercise, he will speedily get diseased feet, and be liable to fits. 
Its excrement is particularly offensive, and should be removed at least twice 
a day. TIe is fond of bathing, and if not indulged with plenty of water for 
this purpose, his close plumage will soon swarm with parasites. When this 
is the case, the bird should be well syringed with a solution of white pre¬ 
cipitate, and furnished afterward with a tepid bath, as the precipitate is 
poison, and might be pecked off by the bird if allowed to remain. 
TRAINING, ROOD, AND DISEASES. 
There can be no doubt that the best tray to win the affections either of a 
reasoning or an unreasoning animal is to treat it with gentleness. This is 
true as regards all grades, from the Indian savage to the performing canary. 
Approach them with harsh or threatening gestures, and Nature will imme¬ 
diately prompt them to stand on the defensive ; approach them with a soft 
word and kind look, and they are, if not at once subdued, ready to listen to 
any thing you are about to say or do. 
This is particularly true of the parrot. Tou may depend on it, the 
impression you make during the first three or four interviews will be last¬ 
ing, whichever way it tends. As a rule, parrots will learn quicker from 
women than men, and quicker still from children. Yieillot had in his pos¬ 
session a gray parrot which he never dared approach without having his 
hands covered with leather gloves, and yet the bird was in all respects 
obedient to Madame Yieillot. He further states that a female of the same 
