The Portland daily press., 1894-04-23
THE HOME.
Canary Birds.
Toledo Blade.

The proprietor of a bird store gives the
following directions for the care OF birds
and they are of value to those who keep
these pretty household pets.
Canaries are not naturally SO delicate
as they are thought to be, though they
easily become so from lack of attention,
and improper treatment. Dealers are
often asked why birds moult IN winter.
In SUCH cases, almost invariably, the
cage hangs high in room where fur
mace heat is used; the top of the room
being the warmest, often warmer than
summer heat, tine birds begins to moult
after and if no change is made In the
arrangement of the cage the result Will
BIZ disease difficult to cure. The proper
remedy is to lower the cage by hanging
on chain or secure spring and give
little saffron in the drinking wafer,
feeding the bird with hard-boiled egg IN
addition to the usual mixed SEED.
AS with the human race, the larger
norton of canaries' diseases are brought
on by colds. Hanging in draft OF alr,
or changing too suddenly from not =, TO
cold. should be particularly avoided. 10
kcure a cold give the bird piece OF
cracker soaked in warm water, with
sprinkling of cayenne pepper, ana piece
OF raw fat salt pork, every gay ior loui
or five DAYS. This will restore the song
AS fine as ever. Colds often lead to in
fiuenza, and for this one had better con-
suit a dealer and procure medicine
which is sold for the purpose.
For cases of diarrhoea put rusty nail
in the birds drinking water: feeding on
plain canary seed only, and hard-bolled
nal
consultation give the bird almost any
kind OF green food, such as lettuce,
chickweed or piece of apple, also plenty
of rape seed.
Scales on the feet, which are often
trou bIesome with old birds, can be easily
removed by softening them with warm
water and CASTLE soap. For SIRE feet
and swollen legs, the best remedy is TO
wash them every day with warm water
and CASTLE soap. This has very Soften
ing and healing tendency, and giving
the bird large and clean perches will
usually effect cure. in few days.
An old birds claws will often grow so
long as to be considerable trouble TO
them, and require clipping off with a
knife or a pair of scissors; care should
be taken not to injure the bird by cut
ting close enough to draw blood. But
if gravel paper is used constantly in the
bottom Of the cage it will usually pre-
vent beak and claws from growing too
long, For bird lice, which are some
times trou blesome even when great care
is taken to prevent their presence it is
| best to use kind of insect powder
which comes for this especial purpose.
| For loss of voice give the bird piece
! of raw salt pork and change the situa
| ton of the cage; if convenient let the
cage hang in the morning sun when it
! is not too warm; or leave the bird at a
| r. 5-to xub o.
| ing, and it will generally recover its song
in a short time.
The food of canaries should be mix
ture of Sicily canary, German rape and
millet seeds, with cutie fish bone, and
gravel; these should be purchased at
essarily be good. In addition TO the
above sprig of chickweed, lettuce
| leaf, a thin slice Of apple, or something
| of that sort is also good for them. But
avoid candy, sugar and cake, as all are
very bad for cage birds, as it gives them
a humol which in time causes the feath
| ers to come oct
ciples hold good as in the case of other
animals Do not attempt to mate birds
which are nearly related. If you should
succeed in doing SO the result would be
| a family of colorless and worthless birds.
Select the birds from families which are
| quite Q1SG1nCG anu uuEoldG0u, anu LlaDo
a dark bird with yellow one if posi-
BILE. Hang the birds in cages side by
side for few days, till they get ac-
ouainted and seem fond of each other,
then place them together and let them
alone. They will do much better if they
are not annoyed or disturbed in any
| way. This last rule in fact will apply
to birds at almost any time, as the less
| they are" fussedn over the better it is for
| +hoyo M r. FARMER
Going to Bed Hungry
Fasting during the long interval be-
teen supper and breakfast and especially
the complete emptiness of the stomach
during sleep adds greatly to the amount
of emaciation, sleeplessness and general
weakness SO often met with. 1t is well
known that in the body there is per-
petuaI disin tegration of tissue, sleeping
or waking: it is, therefore, natural to
believe that the supply of nour1shment
should be somewhat continuous, espec-
tally in those in whom the vitality is
lowered. AS bodily exercise is suspend
ed during sleep with wear and tear cor
respondipgly diminished, while diges-
ton, assimilation and nutritive activity