The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-16
MOSQUITOES KILL PET BIRDS.
Are Deadly Enemies of canares and
Pigeons.
rom the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
That scores of canaries, pigeons and
other birds in captivity in this city are
the victims of the mereiless attacks OF
mosquitoes during the summer months
| is the opinion of many bird fanciers and
those in q position 10 know 1t is insist
ed by these owners of feathered pets that
great numbers of birds become weakened
and die from the effects Of having the
| life blood sucked from their bodies by the
| insects at night.
| It would be difficult to estimate the
numbers of feathered pets which each
| year die in this city from the nightly at
| lacks of mosquitoes.
II noticed several years ago said Jas
| A. Graham, a canary fancier, that the
legs of my pets were swollen and the skin
cracked and sore. Some of the birds had
died from some cause that puzzled not
only me, but some of the best posted bird
men in the city. All kinds of remedies
were tried, but the birds continued to
shrink and drop from their perches dead
1t was suggested I'd me finally that mos
quitoes might have been the cause | at
once set to work to remedy the trouble
The cages were covered with a net each
| night to keep the pests out and as an
extra precaution the legs of the birds
were dipped in pennyroyal, red cedar and
other oils that are known to be objection
able TO the mosquito. The effect was real
ly magical. In less than a week the birds
began to sing, were active and began to
show signs of renewed health. My cages
are now covered and will remain so until
the last mosquito has taken its depar-
ture"
Mr. Graham was asked If he thought
the insects could bite through the feath-
ers of the canary.
ttXN-ith nerfeaf "a xxas fha apcu,ar
ut is a well-known fact that all birds
when asleep during the hot weather open
their feathers to allow the free circula-
ton of the air This makes it easy for
the long-billed mosquito to get in its
deadly work"
'There is no pest that compares with
the mosquito, so far as the injury to cap
tive birds is concerned said John Muir
ray, another canary fancier. Il have
never tried the use of oils or other pre-
ventives on the birds, the net over their
cages having met every requirement of
the case and being the remedy attended
with the least trouble. Whenever birds
begin to droop and die in the summer
without any apparent cause, you may rest
assured that the mosquito is getting in
Its work. and some remedy must be very
promptly applied or it will be too late"
George f. Obrecht who owns one of the
finest lofts of thoroughbred carrier pig
cons in the city, said that the mosquito
suggestion gave satisfactory solution to
trouble that has for years puzzled own
ers of captive birds in this city.
II have known whole lofts of fine birds
to become puny and to actually drop
from their roosts without being able to
assign any reasonable cause for the trou-
BILE. The suggestion of the responsibility
of the winged insect as the cause is
perfectly rational answer to the puzzle.
have no doubt in the world that the at
tacks of the insects are responsible for
the deaths of scores of pet birds in this
city each year. Young pigeons are, have
no doubt, very susceptible to the poison
Gus bites"