Diarrhaet and Costiveness. The same treat ment may be observed as in the above diseases. Should they result from colds, a warm and damp air will be better than medicines, though the last should not be neglected in connection with the sweating process. As soon as one of our favorites looks sick, his nurse should exam ine his excrements. From these any one skilled in birds can tell what ails the sufferer. Again, the excretory organs should he examined. In the case of a liquid excrement, the feathers will be fastened together so that excretion becomes impossible. This alone will endanger the life of the bird. The male can resist an obstruction of this kind from twenty-four to thirty hours; the female from forty to fifty hours. Both may be saved at the last moment. The bird must be taken in the hand, the adhering feathers care fully cut away with scissors, aud the parts anointed with sweet oil. Internal remedies may also be supplied. For canary birds a little fat pork suspended in the cage, carrot juice, a little of the tincture of rhubarb added to the water, say six to eight drops, rotsum bi-carbon icum salt, and a little rochelle salts should be given. In cases of diarrhcea, give them in their drink about two drops of laudanum. The food must be changed, as previously directed.
Gout. This disease, to which only cage-birds are subject, has been proved to arise from colds. Some say that the gout is contagious between man and the bird. This, however, is nonsense. Suitable food, exercise in a large cage or room having plenty of the sun's rays, a good clear air, and plenty of water for bathing, are the chief and only remedies.
Reeling Disease. 'Among the diseases resulting from wrongly-constructed and ill-furnished cages this is the most prevalent. By this disease the regular giddiness is not meant, as the latter is caused by worms, disease of thelbrain, and is incurable, while the former is induced by habit. The symptoms of the disease are as follows : The bird keeps his head bent backwards, is almost constantly turning his body, as if he were endeavoring to perform a somersault; he rocks to and fro and appears as if wholly incapable of supporting his body on his legs. Ultimately this disease becomes annoying; the bird at times falls as if in fits from his perch, and remains for some minutes senseless on the floor of his cage. This disease is generally observed in birds kept in small round cages, especially when the upper perch is fixed too high in the cage. Birds afflicted with this disease can not be cured with medicines. The only remedy is their timely removal to a larger cage.
Foot Di Gout). Foot disease gen erally results from unclean cages. This disease may be prevented by carefully cleaning the floor of the cage and the perches, as well as the birds which do not bathe themselves; washing their feet, and afterwards rubbing them with glyce rine, which keeps their skin soft aud tender. Every bird's feet should be bathed in lukewarm water from time to time, although this may at first glance appear a useless luxury. Leave their feet at least one minute in the bath, so that all matter adhering to them may be softened ; remove the dirt, and diy well with a soft cloth before the sand again touches it. In this manner the
birds will enjoy the full benefit of the bath. Old and hard corns may be removed at this time. When birds have sore feet they should be well washed and then touched with caustic, nitrous .acid silver. Keep the bird in the hand until the caustic is dry, then put him back in his cage. If possible, place him on a perch, on which he will remain for some time owing to the pain caused by the caustic. Many valuable birds are saved in this way.
Moulting Moulting, strictly considered, is not a disease, but a regular and necessary change. Should, however, the bird be not properly treated -during the moulting season, skin and feather diseases are easily contracted. Most birds moult from July to September, many foreign birds moult twice in the year, in spring and autumn. Nothing definite can be stated with regard to the beginning and duration of the moulting season, they being irregular even for the same bird. A bird may moult one year in july, while in the following year he may not moult before August or September. An observant bird-fancier will be able to mark the moulting season of his birds, not only from the loss, but also from the growth, of their feathers. The moulting bird is not ac tually sick, but the change of his plumage makes him feel ill and irritable, and will disturb his regular mode of life to such a degree that he will always be sullen, nor will he sing. He al ways sits on the same spot, ruffles his feathers and pecks at them, with the idea of helping the growth of the young, sprouting feathers, to remove those that are no longer useful, aud to grease those that have attained a sufficient size. These actions are so remarkable that the inexpe rienced will easily take them for the symptoms of disease. Moulting does undoubtedly require peculiar treatment, but no nonsensical quackery should be resorted to. Those who keep their birds properly need do nothing but increase the quantity and quality of their food, while those who have paid but little attention to them, and would now during the moulting season place them in a more sunny locality, or expose them to the drafts, or give them richer food, would act injudiciously. Do not, during the moulting season, change the food of your birds. Increase your attention, supply fresh food frequently, give the seed-eaters, beside their usual foctd, such seeds as poppy, hemp, also some eggs. To soft-eaters supply as many different sorts of insects as possible; plenty of meal-worms; give them a frequent change of bathing-water, and an abundance of clean, dry gravel in the cage; protect them from intrusion from drafts, and from too much sunshine. It is an evil custom to carry a moulting bird to and fro, or to other wise disturb or frighten him. When birds moult too heavily, we should suspend a cloth around their cage to protect them from draft. This I can recommend as an excellent plan. A light colored cloth must be used, as one of another color would render the cage too dark. Should these rules be observed, moulting will pass off quietly and quickly. It sometimes happens that birds in moulting lose their feathers altogether. This arises from their having caught cold, or from being kept in an overheated apartment.