ounce of water), or a few drops of the infusion of senna mixed with their drinking water; this must be removed once or twice a day, and fresh water given them, in which two or three grains of James' Powder must be dissolved, and fifteen to twenty drops of laudanum added. Condy's Fluid or chloride of lime should be freely sprinkled upon the floor of the room; the cages should be thoroughly cleaned out, and a little of the Condy's Fluid, diluted with water, dashed all over the cages inside and out. If the weather is mild, let as much fresh air into the room during the day as you possibly can, but keep out the night air. Do not open the window if it is damp or foggy. After the fever has entirely disappeared, the whole of the cages should be washed out; cleanse them thoroughly inside and out, using hot water and soap, with a little common soda or washing powder. After they are dry wash them out a second time with clean water, to which must be added a quantity of carbolic acid; after this operation the cages should be exposed in the open air for two or three days, and then rinsed off with pure water. Lastly, whitewash them-if they have wooden backs, bottoms, tops, and sides-with quick lime; but before you use it add a little spirit of camphor-that is, camphor dissolved in spirit of wine. This process ought to disinfect the cages and destroy all contagious matter. The bird room likewise should undergo a regular process of cleansing and disinfecting, or your labour might be in vain.

A.

Para

VERMIN. See Chap. II., on "Breeding and Management," p. 52 ("Preparing Breeding Cages "), and also under sites."

VOICE, LOSS OF.-See under "Loss of Voice."

W.

WARTS.-See under " Tumours."

WASTING AWAY.-See under "Decline."

WENS.-See under "Tumours."

WOUNDS. From a variety of causes, principally accidents, or from an accumulation of hardened matter being forced from the feet of birds instead of being softened by the use of warm water, wounds or sores are engendered. The best treatment is first to cleanse the sore with a little pure spring water, in which a red-hot cinder has been deposited, or, where there is inflammation and irritation, with a little fuller's earth well moistened with water. Afterwards apply, once or twice a day according to symptoms, a little compound tincture of myrrh, with a feather, until the wound is healed, or Friar's Balsam may, in some cases, be used instead of the myrrh, with greater advantage.

I have now, I imagine, enumerated all the principal ills from which canaries suffer, and pointed out, as far as my experience has enabled me, the best mode of treatment and the best means of cure. I hope that those who try them will receive as much benefit from the application of many of the ingredients I have recommended as I have done myself, in which case they will have no cause to regret the efforts they may make to relieve their little suffering friends; but as many of the ailments from which they suffer can obviously be prevented, I must conclude by calling the attention of fanciers to that ever-to-be-remembered adage, "Prevention is better than cure."

M

CHAPTER V.

MOULTING.

MOULTING SEASON.-The moulting season extends from July to November in each year; in exceptional cases, where birds are permitted to breed so late as the months of August and September, it may last to the end of December, or longer; but when it reaches this advanced period it is regarded as unseasonable, and ought to be avoided if possible. Those birds bred in the spring and early summer months invariably get the best and most satisfactory moult, and appear far more improved by the change than those that are bred later on. Birds which are bred in August and September never appear to shed their feathers freely, and the change of plumage takes place (particularly if the weather is bad) almost imperceptibly.

Some naturalists assert that when birds do not cast their feathers at the proper time they get a new covering without shedding their old feathers; be this as it may, I have noticed that whenever a bird gets a "fresh coat" during cold weather, you rarely see any loose feathers about the cage.

CRITICAL TIME.-The moulting season is always considered the most critical period in the life of a bird; and much depends upon the manner in which it gets through this process or malady for its future well-being. This is strikingly the case with young birds, which, as a rule, are much more difficult to moult than older birds, for with them it is very similar in its effects to what the distemper is in young dogs, and it is quite as liable to be attended with baneful results. Some young hens fail to breed the first season, whilst many of the males are incapable of impregnating eggs; these and similar drawbacks

very frequently result from long and protracted moulting, engendered by cold or by improper diet or neglect, for the greatest care and attention are necessary at this time.

AGE AT WHICH MOULT COMMENCES.-Young birds usually begin to moult between the age of eight and ten weeks; those that are hatched and reared at the commencement of the season are generally a week or two longer in beginning than those birds that are "backly bred." There is a very marked difference in birds for moulting; some shed their feathers with great freedom, whilst others have great difficulty in doing so. Much, doubtless, depends upon the health and constitution of the subject. A strong, healthy, robust bird always gets over the moult much more easily than a puny, badly-reared one-indeed, the change that takes place in the system at this time terminates the existence of a great many such birds.

FOOD DURING MOULT.-Birds ought to be fed liberally during the time they are moulting, and until they are quite "fine" in feather; a few dainties may be given them occasionally, but sparingly, such as egg and bread, maw seed, millet seed, linseed, groats, &c., but little or no hemp seed, the lastnamed seed being very injurious to canaries, particularly when given in unmeasured quantities. A little beef suet and a small piece of an apple may be placed between the wires of their cages for them to peck at now and again; and as they approach the period of a full moult, I would recommend boiled carrots to be given them fresh, twice or thrice a week, for several weeks in succession, as it tightens the feathers, and puts a fine gloss upon them. The carrots should be cut in thin slices, and placed between the wires of the cages also. It is not advisable to give canaries green food at this time; a fresh lettuce leaf or a small quantity of ripe groundsel given judiciously will do them no harm; but avoid giving them too much chickweed, particularly if it is not ripe, as it is apt to give them diarrhoea.

SYMPTOMS AND FIRST TREATMENT.-When a bird is about to begin to moult it becomes drowsy and listless, and frequently goes hunting about the bottom of the cage and in the seed hopper, apparently in search of something which it is

unable to find. These are unmistakable symptoms, and when observed a change of diet should be given-such as a little maw seed and a few groats, with an equal quantity of linseed and niger seed mixed together, or a few stalks of plantainwell known in Scotland by the appellation of "rats' tails"— will be found very serviceable at this time. In the course of a few days after you observe these signs, if the bird is in vigorous health, several loose feathers may be found lying here and there in and about the vicinity of its cage, and in a few days more you will observe two narrow stripes of feathers, much deeper in hue and more brilliant in colour than its former covering, on each side of its breast; this is a good omen, and the more rapidly these expand and spread, and the more vivid the colour becomes, the better, for it is all the more in favour of the bird getting speedily over it. Let the birds have as much fresh air as you can at this time, and be sure to keep their cages clean and supply them liberally with sand and fine gravel, which assists them to digest their food; but, above all things, be sure to keep them quite free from draughts of cold air, as nothing is so detrimental to them as cold, for it not only checks, but in some instances it has been known to stop, the process entirely, and thereby caused the death of the birds. Never open the window of the bird room on a cold, bleak day, especially when the wind is from the east or north, or during damp and foggy weather; neither must you give them water to bathe in, except when the weather is hot and dry, and then not too frequently. A bath is very serviceable in promoting the growth of the feathers, but judgment is necessary to regulate its use.

A little magnesia should be given when the first symptoms of moult are observed, say, ten or fifteen grains to a small wineglassful of water; this should be given as ordinary drinking water. An old rusty nail, too, acts as a powerful tonic: this should be kept constantly in the drinking trough. A senna leaf or two may be used in preference to the magnesia-when thought desirable. A few shreds of meadow saffron placed in the drinking water at this time will likewise be found serviceable. I have found the following of great