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iT LOOP LOSS: SHE

A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
FOR OLD AND YOUNG
Wisk NATURAL INSTINCTS TEACH
ite Me TO BE-KIND TO ALL
PAVING CREATURES

BY
JACOB BIGGLE

ILLUSTRATED

“The world’s not seen him yet
Who does not love a pet.’’

PHILADELPHIA
WILMER ATKINSON CO.
1900

COPYRIGHT, Ig00
WILMER ATKINSON Co,
>

aM. i
» ft the ec’

-

PREFACE
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
. CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
INDEX .

I:
ie
Ill.

EV:
Vv.
Vik

WMT.

Wala

IDSs
N
XI.

AS IETS

XIII.
XIV.
XV
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.

XX.

XXII.

CONTENTS:

PAGE
IDXOXSSS- oo eh Sear A DEN evar elie Toe NS)
WARIEGIESNOnY DOGS os. os ao) a see az
VARIETIES OF Docs ( Continued) Aner ey
THE BEsT DOG FOR THE COUNTRY HOME 35
Tr SUEPHERD) DOG... .<,. .. <ees 35.
RRATSING, THE, COLLIG We 4 |2\. sone hae tea ae
FURTCRSE HORS DOGS TS Sincwaric) eo eclette cuca, Aly
(ATS) ese) ch sil eee, eo Inee oh Side ae ST
VARIES OHs CATS 2 e2yisschs che tes one 57
DISEASES OF DoGS AND CaTS... . 65
DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS (Continued) 75
PONIES GOATS. SHEEP, (HaCy oo) =)7.8.) ss 83
PCA BID Si es erat tmnt a occ: Sp, cu ri he cs,
RABBIT HUTCHES AND RABBIT DISEASES. 93
GUINEA-PIGS... . sachs 101
SOUIRREES.IWARS AND) MICE, 2 is <5. 103
OTMERE BERS. eR aS oc, saa, omtae LOT
BYGEONS eb s foes aot eles) (Soares Ir
BAINGGAWIS Ut tia e 5, fal shial sae) we arone ces
GANARTIB SS ate no tase SUT, be war nha seven orge ae Leo
OTHE RABURIDS eins. Wes a eo eles ie mate 135
EEG Is apenas PaCS Np 8) ot tae St

DOESN'T THIS LOOK INTERESTING

ésaovy JYStiq Ady} j,udsAvPY
‘SNHLLIM VUOONV

PREFACE.

Although getting to be an
elderly man, one who likes a
comfortable rocker, is fond of a
hammock and an after-dinner
nap, with various other signs of
advancing years, yet my fond-
ness for the dumb friends about
me, from my favorite horse
down to the little wren sitting at her door just above me,
is as deep now as it ever was. In this love for the
lower animals, however, | am only second to my good
wife Harriet, whose constant thought and effort is to
make every living creature as happy and contented as
it can be.

For the horses and dogs she has had watering
troughs set up along the two roads which skirt Elm-
wood; in the winter she throws out seeds and crumbs
for the partridges, meadow larks and now and then a
stray robin. The English sparrow comes too, and I
must say, confidentially, that my love for the birds is
strained a little when it comes to the sparrows. Har-
riet has a regular hospital for suffering and home-
less cats, forlame and friendless dogs, for birds with
broken legs and wings,—every creature in need of a
friend finds it in her.

Elmwood is full of pets. In addition to those
which belong more particularly to us, Tim and his

5 PREFACE.

energetic wife Martha have always had dogs, cats,
birds and other animal friends. Since their children
have commenced to grow up many other pets have been
added to the list. I have drawn largely upon their ex-
perience and have called to my aid much information
in regard tochildren’s pets derived from their observa-
tion and reading.

Every boy or girl should have a pet of some kind;
that is, provided he or she will take care of it, watch it,
look after its wants, keep it clean, and if it is one of
the intelligent animals, train it. No boy’s life is quite
rounded out if he has not had the companionship of a
gentlemanly, intelligent, honest dog. In shaping the
character or life of some interesting pet, the character
of the young person is formed as well.

But I cannot condemn too vigorously the practice of
giving pets of any description to young people whose
cruelty, thoughtlessness or neglect will cause them
suffering and frequently death. Few children are natu-
rally cruel; most children are naturally careless. Don't
give young people pets until they are old enough to
care for them properly, and if they lose interest in them
and neglect them, give the pet away to some other
young person whose desire for a pet is so great that
he will appreciate it and look out for its wants and
comforts.

Elmwood, 1900.

CHAPTER I.

DOGS.

You can tell what the people of a house are like by the be-
havior of their dogs.—Tim.

A very young person is not, as a rule,
‘a good one to have charge of a dog; that
is, for the dog’s sake, but I know of no
company that will have a better influence
‘on a boy; on this account I place a well-

ioe a ’ bred dog at the head of the list of desira-

ble pets. To keep a dog healthy and happy it should
have plenty of outdoor exercise, and this the average
boy is ready and willing to give him. I always pity a
big dog confined in some little backyard or perhaps.
chained with a four-foot chain and with no chance
for running or recreation. No wonder such a dog is
always cross.

A puppy intended for a house dog should early be
trained to attend to his wants out of doors. The way
to do it is to give him frequent opportunities and then
to chide him and make him ashamed every time he
forgets himself in the house, and immediately put him
out of doors. Do not yell at him or chase him, as this.
is apt to make him nervous and lose control of him-
self, but scold him quietly, and then when he has gone
out and done as you wish, praise him. A dog will not
knowingly soil his own bed, but will hunt around for
some suitable place. If he has been in the house

ife) BIGGLE PET BOOK.

awhile and seems to be uneasy and be smelling around,
put him out at once. Train him to “speak” by bark-
ing once when he wants to be let out, also when he
wants to come in. Don’t let him form the habit of
scratching the doors.

The greatest comfort in the ownership of a dog is
to have one that will mind intelligently and quickly.
This part of his education must be begun early in his
life. After he has learned to come to you when called,
to follow you when ordered to do so,
and to lie down and stay there when
you tell him, he has mastered the
three “R’s” of his educations and
after that you can do almost any-
thing with him.

~ Sl Be firm but kind with your dog
KESWICK MIKE, .
Irish terrier, six 20d have abundance of patience.
months old. Never give a command you cannot
enforce. Be consistent, don’t let him do one thing one
day and the next punish him for it. The first time a
dog commits a fault is the time to correct him. Don’t
let him form a bad habit, such as running out in the
road and barking at passers-by, or howling at night
to the disturbance of everybody, and then expect to
stop him at once. It will take ten times the effort
then.

If it is necessary to punish him, two or three
sharp taps with a little switch, or better yet a rolled-
up newspaper, over his back at the time the fault is
committed will probably be all that is necessary.
Never strike a dog on the head, and, I hardly think it
necessary to say, never kick a dog. Do not punish a

DOGS. II

dog some time after the fault has been committed, but
right at the time, otherwise he will not know what you
mean. Never break the spirit of adog. Asa dog gets
older you will find that a scolding will answer every
purpose. He will be so anxious to please that he will
feel very bad when scolded. I used to have a dog
that was punished by being put ina dark closet, and
it was all that was necessary. Whenever your dog has
done something that deserves praise, do not stint him.
A dog that has acquired the habit of killing
chickens can often be cured by catching him and ty-
ing the dead chicken around his neck where he cannot
scratch it off or reach it. Keep it there for an hour or
two and keep him away from
your presence; he will get so
tired of the chicken that he will
never again want to see the sight
of one. I know of no cure to gi
suggest for dogs that will kill Sa",
sheep, except that such dogs BLOODHOUND.
should not be allowed to run at large. A dog by itself
is not apt to kill sheep, but at night when they meet
other dogs they are apt to lose their heads, return to
their savage instincts when dogs hunted together in
packs, and do damage to the flock. Fora dog that
will persistently kill sheep there is only one cure, that
is to make way with him. These are usually dogs that
have never been rightly trained or disciplined, but
sometimes a well-bred dog will fall into bad company
and get into trouble, just as the human family does.
Most owners overfeed their dogs, particularly
with meat. A puppy that has just left its mother

I2 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

should be fed four times a day until it is six months
old, then three times a day until it is full grown. Do
not give him cake or anything sweet or greasy. Twice
a day is often enough to feed a grown dog, and some
feed but once a day; in that case, the best time to do
itisin the evening. My plan is to give a light breakfast,
and the principal meal at night. Dogs that have but
one meal are apt to bolt their food and suffer from in-
digestion. Let him have a special dish of his own
and keep it clean. Give him all that he will eat, but
no more, as what he leaves is apt to lie around and
become spoiled.

There is no better food for dogs that have free
» range than the scraps which
f— come from the family table, as.
they contain a variety of food
both good and wholesome. He
should not have too much potato
and small bones that are inclined
to splinter, such as chicken and
mutton bones. The dog will chew
up the latter and eat them, often causing trouble.
When food is to be specially prepared for dogs, cooked
meat chopped fine with a quantity of vegetables added,
bran meal and rice made into a biscuit or pudding will
be found a good combination. Fried cornmeal mush
in winter may be occasionally fed. Once or twice a
week give the dog a big bone from which most of the
meat has been scraped. It will be good for the teeth
and jaws, and will amuse him as well. Dog biscuits.
are good for special occasions, but not for steady diet.

Long-haired dogs should be washed as often as.

WOLFHOUND.

DOGS. 13

once a month in winter, and once a week in summer.
Smooth-coated dogs keep cleaner, and in the country,
where there is grass and water, do not need so much
attention. Have the water slightly warm; use some
good dog soap, rubbing it thoroughly into the hair
until it gets to the skin, and until the dog is covered
with the lather. Don’t get it in his eyes or far into his
ears. Let this lather stay on for five minutes or so,
then rinse off with cooler water two or three times,
and rub him dry with a coarse towel or a clean grain
bag.

My preference has always been to keep our dog
confined at nights. This
keeps him out of mischief
and I know where he is,
and he cannot be sus-
pected when sheep are
killed or other damage
done. If he is kept out-
side as awatch-dog I chain
him up to his kennel.

If you have a dog that
ought to be a water dog, never throw him into the
water to teach him. It will scare him and very often
spoil his future as a water dog. All dogs can swim
and many will learn to like it if they are not fright-
ened at first. A good way to begin is to wade through
a shallow creek and call your dog to follow you. He
may hesitate at first, but his desire to keep up with you
will soon induce him to splash through.

As a rule a dog will not attack a person or other
dog when off his own ground. When you approach

A GROUP OF FOXHOUNDS.

14 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

a house where they keep a dog, do not behave as if
afraid of him. Go on quietly and confidently, and
as if you belonged there. If the dog growls or barks
pay no attention to him, but proceed without noticing
him. Let him smell you all he wants. If he seems
determined to stop you then, you had better stop and
wait until some one of the family rescues you.

It is always best to speak kindly to a strange dog,
particularly if he looks a little cross, but don’t try
patting him unless he makes the first friendly move.
I have usually found it a good plan not to be afraid of
a dog that jumps and runs towards you, and I have
seldom had any trouble. If you show you are afraid
the dog is smart enough to see it
at once, and then if you should
start to run away he thinks, of
’ course, that it is his duty to
| catch and hold you. The dog
5 @ that barks a lot is seldom to be

ENGLISH GREYHOUND. feared. A friend of mine told
me of this plan of defense when attacked by a cross
dog. Hold out your hat towards him, and as he flies
at you he will seize hold of the brim, then if you give
him a good sharp kick on his jaw from underneath, it
is very apt to sicken him and he will leave you alone.
I have never tried this; it looks as though it might
work, but dogs are like men, and among them molasses
will catch more flies than vinegar.

A stranger should never interfere with a dog when
he is eating. His instinct teaches him to protect his
food. A dog with a bone knows no friends. Some
dogs are naturally fighters, but try to keep them from

DOGS. 15

it. If your dog is not too big, when he gets in a
quarrel pull him out by his tail or leg and tuck him
under your arm. It will do no good to strike him or
cuff him, for he thinks it is the other dog hurting him
and it will only enrage him the more.

BARKS.

Never chain up a dog if it is possible to avoid it.

Never tease a dog and don’t let any one else tease yours.

Dont let any dog try to follow you when you are riding a

bicycle.

Good, clean straw makes excellent
bedding,—but keep it clean by frequent
changing.

It is said if a dog is fed onions and
turnips pretty regularly, he will not be
troubled with worms.

A fat, overfed dog is dull and stupid. | 4
A fresh, vigorous appetite is a great
sharpener of a dog's wits.

PUG DOG.

But one person, so far as possible,
should have the care and training of a dog. Ii is hard, even
for a dog, to serve two masters.

After all, the difference between a useful, valuable dog is
not so much a matter of breed as it is care and training, espe-
cially when the dog is young.

An old piece of carpet or bagging is the best thing for a dog
to lie on nine months of the year. Straw, hay or shavings
make a harbor for fleas. If you use hay or straw see that it is
changed frequently and that it is always dry. This is very
important.

16 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Don't let a little dog or a young dog follow the carriage ;
the overexertion may injure him. Either make him ride or
else stay at home. Following a carriage is one of the best
forms of exercise for hunting and running dogs. Teach them
also to sit still while riding in the carriage or wagon.

Young dogs of the big breeds are apt to form the bad
habit of jumping up against a person, thereby terrifying timid
people and soiling one’s clothes. To break them of this habit,
when they jump up hold them by their front paws and step on
their back toes, not hard enough to injure them, but hard
enough to hurt.

Puppies should have lots of exercise. When they are not
sleeping or eating they should always be running about. In
cold or wet weather they should have a clean, roomy place
under cover to run about in, with a large, green bone to pick
or a block of wood or ball or some other amusement. It is as
natural for a puppy to play as it is for a child.

AN ARMLOAD OF PUPPIES.

]
.
.

——: a S

CHAPTER II.

VARIETIES OF DOGS:

The more I see of men the better I like dogs.—Tim.

There are some fifty or more
recognized varieties of dogs bred in
this country. A few of them are
“all around ” dogs whose faculties fit
them for the varied and active life of

-a country home, but many of the
varieties have been so developed for

goaiin, special purposes that they would be

Beste TERRIER’ unhappy ahd out of place on a farm.
It has not seemed worth while in this little work to

devote much space to those varieties unadapted to an
active, useful life.

Some of the TERRIERS are more ornamental than
useful. In Europe they have been used to hunt small
game, rabbits, foxes, weasels, etc., as well as for ex-
terminating rats. In this country they are mainly
kept as pets or to kill rats and mice. They generally
have plenty of persistency, vim and grit and will
attack the largest foe. They have good noses and
when trained are nearly equal to a hound in the
sharpness of their scent.

Of the Fox TERRIER there are two varieties—the
smooth-coated and the wire-haired. They are cleanly
in their habits, affectionate and very plucky, it being

18 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

one of their faults to quarrel with other and often larger
dogs. As ratters they have few. equals, and they are
death on cats. They are suspicious of strangers and
not inclined to be overfriendly with them, and for
inside the house make admirable ke
watch-dogs. Unfortunately they have ~qpsqeseg)
been so closely bred that many are
nervous and seem to live at toohigha ,
pressure. At a recent dog show I is™ -
attended, the Fox Terriers made ten rox TERR
times more racket than all the other dogs put together.
Fox Terriers should be white in color with black-and-tan
markings, particularly around the head. They should
weigh from twelve to eighteen pounds. The Fox Ter-
rier’s tail is usually cut off, when a week or so old, about
four or five inches from the body. Right here I would
like to put in my protest against the cruel cropping or
docking of dogs of any variety. The practice is as
unnecessary as it is painful.

The BULL TERRIER is a cross between a Bulldog
anda Terrier. They are hardy, docile and affectionate,
make good house dogs
| and ratters, and, consid-
Bl ering their ancestry, they
e| are not particularly quar-
| relsome. I never thought
H Bull Terriers very hand-
some dogs, and I have
known some that seemed “sneaky.” [Bull Terriers are
divided into families, the Boston Terrier with its
shortened nose and full eye now being one of the
most popular. Fashion has decided that Bull Ter-

A BULL TERRIER FAMILY.

VARIES Ol DOGS. 19

riers have their ears clipped so that they stand erect,
but their tails are not cut.

The IRISH TERRIER is a good dog for the farm.
He is intelligent, a good ratter, and better tempered
than the Fox Terrier. He will not seek a quarrel, but
will not go three steps around to avoid one. He has a
hardy constitution, makes a good watch-dog and will
stand any amount of hard work. -The hair is hard and
wiry and about two inches long. The tail is generally
shortened to tour or five inches. The color should be
solid, either red, yellow or gray, and the weight from
sixteen to twenty-four pounds. See illustration, p. ro.

The AIRDALE TERRIER has a good name in
England as a useful dog, but he is little known here.
They have rough, shaggy coats, and weigh as much as
sixty pounds. Other varieties of Terriers less popular,
less common or less useful than those I have named
are the Yorkshire, Skye, Scotch, White English, Welsh,
Black and Tan, Bedlington, Dandie Dinmot and Mal-
tese Terriers. Scottish Terriers are shown on page 33

The SPANIELS form a numerous type and are one
of the oldest breeds in existence. Their hair is long
and silky, their eyes prominent and their ears long
and pendant. They are, as a rule, ERS and
biddable. They are apt to be snappish ¢@
towards strangers, but are fond of being
noticed and petted. Spaniels may
roughly be divided into two groups— am
‘the toy dogs or ladies’ lap dogs and the COCKER SPANIEL.
larger, active hunting or fried Spaniels. In the first
are included the Japanese, King Charles, Prince
Charles, Blenheim and Ruby Spaniels.

20 BIGGLE PET. BOOK.

The COCKER is perhaps the best known of the
larger and more useful class. He is a light, active,
general purpose dog, inclining, however, to put on fat
as he grows older. The coat is thick, curly and wavy,
and the color a solid liver, red, lemon and black and
combinations of any one of these colors with white.
The Cocker’s tail is usually docked. The ears are
long, reaching almost to the ground.

The FIELD or SPRINGER SPANIEL is a larger dog
than the Cocker and is jet black in color. The former
weighs over twenty-eight pounds and the latter from
fifteen to twenty.

CLUMBER, SUSSEX and IRISH WATER SPANIELS
are all much larger than the Cocker. All these
eee i fe Spaniels are useful
© for hunting pur-
poses. Their scent
is excellent; they
raise the game for
the hunter’s gun

SS ues ok mi and retrieve game
A NEST OF CLUMBER SPANIELS. which may have

a SE

fallen into the water. Their long thick coats are well
adapted to resist cold and wet.

The CHESAPEAKE Bay dog is a local variety of
water dog that has been bred by the duck hunters of
that section and is about the only truly American dog.
He weighs from sixty to seventy pounds and is gener-
ally of a dark red brown color with a curly coat imper-
vious to water.

The PuG dog seems to be adapted for no par-
ticularly useful end. It is simply a lady’s lap dog. It

VARIETIES OF DOGS. 21

has the advantage of being cleanly and odorless, but
with many disadvantages as it grows old. It is par-
ticularly adapted to city life.

The POMERANIAN or SPITz is now bred also in
smaller or toy varieties in either black or white. They
have bad tempers and should not be tolerated where
there are children. They are, however, sharp, quick
watch-dogs for inside the house.

The DALMATIAN or COACH dog has short hair
and is white with black or liver-colored spots the size
of a quarter dollar closely spotted all over him. His
ruling passion is the companionship of horses. He is
a good-sized, muscular dog, capable of enduring fatigue
and running with the team. Well-bred dogs should
have spots in their tails as well as on their bodies.

The FRENCH POODLE or BARBET is said to be
the most intelligent of dogs, and this seems to be borne
out by the fact that in dog shows the majority of the
performers are apt to be Poodles. In Germany they
are used as water dogs. They have plenty of courage
and are good watch-dogs, and they rarely attack or
bite mankind. Poodles are usually white, brown or
black, the latter being the popular color. See illus-
tration, page 46.

The BuLLpDoG has many admirers, although he
is not a friend of mine. The best that can

: : 6s
be said is that they seem to be affectionate } *]
to those they know. They were originally &%
bred, years ago, for bull-baiting, hence their

F ? x ies? Fi
name. They will run at a cow or a bull, @——*t»
catch it by the nose and hold on to it until 'SN’T BF

>
they are choked so that they will let go. "*°"'™’

22 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

It is the fashion to breed them so that they will be
as ugly as possible, with short noses and protruding
teeth and with the skin on their jaws lying in heavy
wrinkles, the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper.
Like prize fighters, their brains are not proportionate
‘to their strength. They are ungainly in gait and have

the characteristic of never letting go once they get
hold.

CHAPTER III.

VARIETIES OF DOGS—Continued.

After all, the difference in dogs 1s more one of care and train-
mg than it ts of breed. No animal is more influenced by his
surrounding s.—Tim.

Aimost all the Hound family have
been trained for generations for hunt-
ing purposes, and in some of them
their scent has been highly developed,
“| and in others keenness of sight and
aeeIeees of limb are the main characteristics. They
ought not to be confined in small places, but should
have plenty of exercise.

The ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS are mainly ladies’
pets, or bred for fancy purposes, with delicate consti-
tutions. Closely allied to them in shape and size is the
Whipet, or Running dog. This, however, is not a dis-
tinct breed, but said to be a cross of the Bull Terrier
and the Black-and-Tan Terrier with the Italian Grey-
hound. Whipets are used for running races, as they
are fleet of foot and have good staying qualities.

The ENGLISH GREYHOUND is a large dog with a
deep chest, thin but powerful loins, and very long legs.
They hunt by sight and can catch a rabbit running
with ease. They can go as fast as an ordinary horse
without trouble, but they would be out of place and
unsuited to life on the average farm. See page 14.

DEERHOUNDS and STAGHOUNDs are large dogs,

24 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

standing about thirty-one inches at the shoulder,
and somewhat like the Greyhound in shape. The
Deerhound is covered with a coat of rough, wiry
hair. He is popular in Scotland and in the West for
running down deer. The Staghound is a smooth-
coated dog and but little known in this country.

een
i

RussIAN WOLFHOUNDS are big dogs,
_ closely resembling the deer-
hound. See page 12.

The ENGLISH BLOOD-
HOUND is a dog from twenty- |
) Six to thirty inches high, with a
wonderfully keen scent. He is
DEERHOUND. black and tan or tan color only.

There are few pure-bred Bloodhounds in this country,
those so called being a cross of the dogs formerly used
in the Southern States for tracking runaway slaves.
The English Bloodhound is not a vicious dog; if
tracking a man and overtaking him, no harm would
come to the man if he would stop running. The Blood-
hound is perhaps the only dog that takes pleasure in
tracking a stranger; most every dog will enjoy track-
ing his own master. See illustration, page 11.

In England, the FoxHounpD has been bred for
generations, and in this country it has been introduced
in many sections for hunting in packs. It is intelligent
and makes a good dog on the farm. The American
Foxhound differs-—is smaller and faster than the
English. It is able to run as fast as the best race-
horse. It has a short, dense and glossy coat, and is
almost any broken color, black, tan and white being
the most desirable. See illustrations, pages 13 and 47.

VARIETIES OF DOGS. 25

The BEAGLE HOUND is a smaller type of the Fox-
hound, but less throaty in proportion to its size and
more delicate in its make-up. Its yelp or cry is the
most musical of the hound family. The head is broad,
tapering towards the nose, which is of medium length
and inclined to be pointed. The ears are full and sharp.
He is a quiet, peaceable
chap, attending to his own
affairs. He isa great rabbit
dog, and as he gets old is
fond of hunting on his own
account. In height, accord- : te vs
ing to the standard, they YOUNG BEAGLE HOUNDS.
should not extend fifteen inches at the shoulder. They
are especially useful in such parts of the country where
there are not many places for a rabbit to “ hole.”

One of the most peculiar of dogs is the DACHs-
HUND. He will attract attention anywhere. The
measurements of a good dog of this variety are,
length from nose to tip of tail, forty-four inches;
height at shoulder, ten and one-half inches; weight,
twenty to twenty-two pounds. Smaller varieties weigh
from ten to sixteen pounds and are built proportion-
ately. In color, they are black and tans, chestnut and
tans, and solid reds. The skin is looser on a Dachs-
hund than on any other variety. The Dachshund
is perhaps the least amenable to discipline of all the
varieties.

St. BERNARD dogs are among the largest of the
race. There are two kinds—the short-haired, smooth-
coated, and the long-haired type. The former is the
variety bred at the Hospital of St. Bernard, on the Alps,

26 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

where these intelligent dogs are used to aid and rescue
storm-lost travelers. At present the long-haired va-
riety seems to be the most
popular, but this is mainly a
matter of choice. In color,
St. Bernards are orange,
_ tawny, red, and gray-brin-
P,>dled, with a mixture of
So - ' white with any of these; but
ROUGH-COATED ST. BERNARD q white chest, feet, point of
pee Seats tail, and white around the
nose and collar are obligatory for show-dogs. The coat
of the rough-haired is shaggy, but flat in texture. The
smooth-haired has a coat like a hound. (See illus-
tration, page 49.) St. Bernards are not apt to be vicious
and savage; they are strong, massive, active and
courageous. They delight in the company of children
and are excellent guardians for them. They measure
from twenty-eight to thirty-five inches in height at the
shoulder and weigh from one hundred and twenty to
two hundred pounds.

ENGLISH MASTIFFS have been ie for years as
protectors, guardians
and watch-dogs. They
have been trained to go.
the rounds of building
and grounds as regularly i
as a watchman. They ENGLISH MASTIFFS.
are docile, and seem to Father =o
have an instinctive knowledge of the difference between
an honest man and a thief. Usually, just a look at a
Mastiff is all that a tramp will need. They are patient

VARIETIES OF DOGS. 27

with children and seem to understand that they must
make allowance for their rudeness. A Mastiff will
usually give warning and threats before he considers
it necessary to attack; but an aroused, angry Mastiff
is a veritable demon. They are from twenty-five to
thirty-one inches high and weigh from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty pounds.

The GREAT DANE or GERMAN MASTIFF is one
of the fiercest-looking dogs, with an alert, intelligent
face and sharp-pointed ears, which are universally
clipped when he is a puppy. They, or strains of the
family, have been called Danish Mastiffs, Ulmers,
Boarhounds, Russian Bloodhounds, Brewer’s dogs,
etc. As arule, they have fairly good tempers and are
among the best of watch-dogs, that having been their
occupation for many generations. They are lighter in
build than a mastiff and much heavier than a grey-
hound, but somewhat resemble a cross between the
two. In color, they are brindled, solid color, or spotted.
They weigh from one hundred to two hundred poe

The NEWFOUNDLAND is ee
our largest water dog. One}
objection to the Newfound-
land is his uncertain temper,
but this may run only in
families. While a good watch-
dog and companion, it is in |i oe dh
the water that his semi: A LANDSEER NEWFOUNDLAND.
aquatic nature is seen to best advantage. No water is
too cold or rough for him, and he takes instinctively to
the work of saving any unfortunate who falls in. No
dog is better pleased when he knows he is serving his

28 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

master. There are twotypes. The black, which is the
common variety, is a curly-coated dog, black as coal.
Then there is a variety with a splash of white on chest
and toes and tip of tail. The average height at the
shoulder is from twenty-five to twenty-seven inches,
and the weight from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty pounds.

The ENGLISH SETTER is a good watch-dog, but
his training and in-
stinct have been devel-
oped to hunt, mainly
for birds: His keen
scent enables him to
locate the game and
indicate to his master
by pausing — “ point-
ing ’’—and thereby in-
dicating just where it
is. The coat ofme

IRISH SETTER, ENGLISH SETTER, Setter iS a soft, silky
ED ERR AT AO EK hair, without curl. In
color, they are black, red, yellow, orange, brown, or
combinations of these colors with white. See page 34.

The Ir1tsH SETTER is a solid, deep, rich mahogany-
red color, sometimes with a white spot on the breast,
with some slight variations. It is similar in size and
shape to the English Setter, but is perhaps more popu-
lar in this country. They are quick as lightning, but
their pace never gets beyond their nose.

The GORDON SETTER is a handsome dog, more
heavily built than the others. The color is a rich,
glossy plum-black, with rich mahogany-tan markings,

VARIETIES OF DOGS. 29

“=

and sometimes a spot of white on the breast. He is
from twenty to twenty-five inches high at the shoulder
and weighs about fifty pounds.

The POINTER is another hunting dog, and is
especially valuable for work on prairies, where the
dog must go a long time without water. The Pointer
is said to be more easily trained
than the Setter, but his temper is
not so good and he is more apt to @
be snappish. He has anexcellent ~~
nose. Pointers have short coats POINTER.
and are different colors—liver and white, orange and
white, being the most popular in the order named.
They weigh about fifty-five or sixty pounds.

So-called “ Coon” dog is not a distinctive breed,
but is a rough-and-ready dog that can track a coon,
tree him and then keep him there by barking until his
master arrives and the coon is shot or the tree cut
down, when it is the dog’s duty to kill the coon. One
of the best crosses for coon dogs is said to be that of
bulldog with the foxhound.

The COLLIE or SHEPHERD dog and the ENGLISH
SHEEP dog are treated in another chapter.

..é MoyAue ‘a10y} UMOp Bulop dasys nod aiv yey AA ,, ‘Avs 0} Wes Ady L
“SHITTOD GHLVOO-HDNOUW GNV HLOOWS

CHAPTER IV.

THE BEST DOG FOR THE COUNTRY HOME.

Love me, love my dog.—Martha.

Don’t keep too many dogs. One
bs cood one will be of more service than
three ill-trained mongrels, and in the
=a average country home, two at most—one
for the house and another for the barn—
' Should be the limit. Get a good dog.
_. It costs no more to keep a well-bred,
pure- tnaced dog than it does some mongrel, “ yaller’
dog, and, aside from the pleasure of possessing a pure-
blooded animal, there is always the possibility of profit
from his or her progeny. Some writers have maintained
that the common dog of no particular breeding is more
intelligent than his blue-blooded cousin, but I do not
think so. The different breeds differ much in intelli-
gence, and dogs of the same breed will show a great
difference in their ability to learn.

First, make up your mind for what purpose you
want a dog, and then get a pup of the variety that gen-
erations of training and development have fitted for
that purpose. Personally, I do not like large dogs.
For one thing, they eat as much as a calf, and for
another, they are apt to get cross and dangerous as
they grow old. I heartily agree with a friend of mine
who would not tax any dog under forty pounds, but

>

32 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

would impose a tax of ten cents a pound a year for
every pound a dog weighs over forty pounds. Big
dogs are a nuisance in the house. They spoil the car-
pets and furniture, and are generally in the way, and
yet for a dog’s best development he should live and be
brought up in intimate relations with the family life.
Where, however, a good, big watch-dog is really
needed, an English Mastiff, Great Dane, St. Bernard
or Newfoundland will always have a deterrent effect
on evildoers. The Mastiffs and Great Danes have
been particularly bred as watch-dogs for generations.
One look from the fierce face of the Dane will send a
tramp skipping. The St. Bernard as a watch-dog is
rather ornamental than useful, as the watching in-
stinct has not been developed
in him like in the two former
breeds. Both the long-haired
St. Bernard and the Newfound-
land suffer with the heat of
summer in this climate. But
there is always the possibility of
Greed these big dogs really hurting or
GREAT DANE. killing some one, so that, unless
their watching services are really seriously needed, I
much prefer some active, smaller variety. Burglars
and evildoers often find ways to silence a big dog
outside the house, whereas they cannot quiet a little
dog inside that will make a big racket at the slightest
suspicious noise. Then big dogs are sometimes util-
ized to run dog powers for churning, washing, and
other purposes. Get them to like it and enjoy it if
possible. The exercise will not hurt them a bit. It is

THE BEST DOG FOR THE COUNTRY HOME. 33

the fault of the Mastiff that he will not take enough
exercise for his own good. A city friend of mine uses
one of these powers simply to give his dogs exercise.

For the care of a poultry yard, the little Dachs-
hund cannot be excelled. No skunks, minks, opos-
sums, coons or weasels will remain long in the neigh-
borhood. He will track them, dig them out, and kill
them relentlessly. Owing to the peculiarly long and
snake-like shape, he is able to follow them to their
holes, and this he does fearlessly. He is an independ-
ent chap, however, and quarrelsome with other dogs.

For a dog for the barn or stable, the Dalmatian
or Coach dog has had his fondness for horses developed
by years of association with them. He will make a
good watch-dog, and will take care of the wagon, and
see that nothing is taken from it when delivering goods,
etc. He is generally trained to run along between the
front axle and the horse’s heels, or right under the pole
of a double team. Other dogs along the road hesitate
to attack him in this position, nor will he leave it to
fraternize with them. Under favorable circumstances
he is playful and intelligent, but if ill-treated he be-
comes sullen and dan-
gerous.

As ratters and ver-
min-killers, the Terriers
have no equal. Quick
on their feet, ever on
the alert, keen-scented
and sharp-eyed, they
will clear the barn or
granary of mice, and keep it so. The Fox and Irish

WHITE SCOTTISH TERRIERS.

34 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Terriers, particularly, make good house and watch-
dogs. Of the Fox Terriers, the long-coated one is more
hardy and less nervous, if he is not so trim looking.

Of the many kinds of hunting dogs, Setters, Point-
ers, Hounds, and some of the Spaniels, all are good

companions, and the care and

training which have been neces-
“ sary to make them valuable in
the chase have developed their
“a general intelligence as well. For
= a house dog, of these varieties I
ENGLISH SETTER. would prefer a Cocker Spaniel.
If properly trained, he can do the work of a Pointer,
Setter or Hound; he is not too large for the house,
makes a good watch-dog, and is very intelligent. As
a watch-dog, I would select a Setter or Pointer. They
are of an affectionate disposition towards home-folks,
but watchful of strangers. The smaller hounds are
not very obedient, particularly when there is a chance
of a dash after game. The Chesapeake Bay dog is
primarily a hunting dog. He is good for treeing squir-
rels, and as coon dogs they never turn tail. As a
watch-dog they are equal to the Mastiff.

But, after all, the dog for the farm or small coun-
try place is the Collie; aside from what aid he may
give with tending and driving stock, he is especially
the dog of the country. This has been his home for
generations, and he is alive and alert to all that passes
on the farm. There is no better or more intelligent
companion, no better watch-dog. Indeed, | am so im-
pressed with the fact that I have devoted the next
chapter to telling more fully of his many gcod qualities.

CHAPTER V.

iio bh tee hL) DOG.

“T will not bite any dog,” says the Shepherd dog,‘ / must
save my teeth for the wolf.’’—Old Saying.

For a farm dog the Shepherd
dog has no equal. There are
two varieties— the Collie or
> Scotch Collie, and the bob-tailed
-. English Sheep dog. The former
“is graceful, intelligent, affec-
tionate and has every good quality any other dog
has, except that he is a poor or indifferent hunting dog
and is afraid of the report of a gun. Harriet likes him
all the better on this account. He is usually afraid of
thunder. A more intelligent dog never was born. I
have one that understands by actual count the mean-
ing of over one hundred and fifty different words. He
knows some of them so well that when Harriet says
in a conversational tone, “I
guess we will have some
chicken salad for supper,”
Bruce, who has been trained W =—_
to keep the chickens off the (fm ft
lawn, will jump up and run —_
to the window to see if there COLLIE PUPPIES.
are any chickens scratching the flower-beds, and if
there are, out he goes to drive them off.

I told the story in the Farm Journal some years ago

36 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

of a little girl who was sitting in front of the fire with
the toothache and said, ‘‘ Oh, how my tooth aches! I
wish I had a piece of sheep’s wool to put init.” With
that the Collie which was lying on the floor got up,
went out and returned in a little while with the tail ofa
lamb, which he laid at the feet of the child, looking up,
as much as to say, “ Here it is.’

In this brief space I cannot begin to tell the hun-
dreds of authentic stories of the Collie’s devotion to
duty, intelligence and watchfulness.

No man could be more faithful or conscientious in
his work. EEN is a little story which will illustrate

this trait. The chief

shepherd of a_ big
flock in the West had
occasion lately to
change camp from
: fae) the mountain-range to
TWO SPLENDID WORKERS. his feeding grounds.

The distance was three miles. One of the Collies had
at the range a litter of five puppies, seventeen days old,
which, as she was needed in the drive, she had to leave
behind. The first night, as soon as the sheep were
folded at the feeding ground and her responsibilities
over, she went straight back through a driving snow-
storm to her young, and spent the night with them.
Next morning, however, true to her master, she was at
the corral bright and early for her duties. She remained
all day, guarding and herding the sheep, and at night-
fall started back to her babies. This continued for
eleven days. On the morning of the twelfth day the
dog was late at the corral and the shepherd felt some

THE SHEPIITERD DOG. 37

uneasiness about her. After a little time she appeared,
bringing one of her pups, which had grown to consider-
able size, in her mouth. She had struggled all the
three miles with it, over a roughroad. It was evidently
her intention to bring the pups all up to the corral, one
ata time, without sacrificing any of her time with the
sheep. Somewhat conscience-stricken at his neglect
of the litter so far, the shepherd hitched up a wagon
and went to the range after them. He secured them
all, and gave them and their mother a warm nest close
to the hearth in the farm house.

One more story illustrating the Ps S phrciad:
ness. A farmer ; es 5 :
had solda bunch
of sheep to a
new butcher in
a neighboring
town and loaned
the butcher his
dog to drive the A FAITHFUL GUARDIAN ON DUTY.
sheep home. The dog drove them so well that the
butcher became quite covetous and resolved to keep the
dog and try to bargain for him next day. With this in
view, he placed the dog, which by the way had never
been locked up in his life, in an outhouse and left him
there for the night. The dog, thinking that something
was amiss, loosened a board, escaped from his prison,
made an opening in the yard for the sheep and drove
them all back home to his master, evidently consider-
ing that a man who would act as the butcher had was
not an honest man and that the sheep had better be
taken out of his hands as quickly as possible.

38 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

In form the Collie is about twenty-four inches high
at the shoulder and weighs from fifty-five to sixty-five
pounds. The entire form is firm, muscular, well knit,
with no superfluous flesh. His coat, except on the head
and legs, should be long, the outer coat straight and
rather stiff, and the inside or under coat so dense and
soft that it is hard to find the skin. The smooth-coated
Collie differs from the rough only in the coat, which
should be dense and quite smooth. In the matter
of color there is great variety ; the most popular to-day
is sable with white markings, although there are many
which are solid black, black with white marks, black,
tan and white and solid sable, or what some term fox
color.

A Collie is ever on the alert. He can think and act
for himself. His expression is open, jolly and engag-
ing and not without cunning, the very picture of intelli-
gence. On the hills of Scotland, where his training
and instincts have been developed for generations, he
and his master were usually far away from human
associations and often alone together for weeks at a
time. This training has made him somewhat shy and
suspicious of strangers, but it drew him closer to his
master, in whom he has unlimited faith. The Collie
will watch and guard the children of the household; he
is quick to kill rats and allkinds of vermin. He will
drive stray dogs off the place and keep tramps out of
the yard. His sense of oversight of all that goes on on
the farm is remarkable, and the guardianship of his
master’s property is his special delight. He is inter-
ested in it all and particularly in the family. He is
never satisfied at night until all of us are at home,

THE SHEPHERD DOG. 39

and he will watch and listen for the tread of the last
absent member and seem to breathe a sigh of relief
when all are in.

The Collie is obedient, but no dog is more sensitive,
and he will not bear harsh treatment or punishment or
do good work for a cruel and unjust master. When
once you have gained his confidence and affection he
will obey every command willingly, cheerfully and to
the best of his ability. A trained Collie will, unaided,
take a flock of sheep out in the morning, care for them
and guard them during the day as carefully and faith-
fully as if they were his children,.and bring them back
safe at night. He will drive and herd cattle, hogs,
and poultry too.

More dogs are ruined with a whip than without
one. After scolding your dog, or when you have fallen
out, remember to make friends with him soon after.

The so-called Old English (ieee
Sheep dog is less known in this }|..
country, but already has many] 4
friends here who have an increas- | #2
ing interest in this valuable breed. | 3 :

He is about the same size as the | aie = =—.

Collie and has all the latter’s good | _

points except beauty. The Sheep 4 ramous oLp ENGLISH
dog is certainly a homely fellow. SGT ee

His hair is dense and rather more curly than the Col-
lie’s. His hind quarters are large and heavy, standing
somewhat taller than his front. It is the only breed of
dogs, so far as I know, that has absolutely no tail at all.
Once in a while a puppy will have a regular-sized tail
or a short one, but the characteristic of the breed is to

40 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

be tailless. They have unbounded courage, and while
they will not quarrel if they can help it, they are quick
to guard their charges and to stop meddling and tres-
passing. The strong point of the Bobtail is his capa-
city fordriving. The Collie cannot be beaten in guard-
ing and herding the flock as it grazes, but the Sheep
dog is a better driver, being more deliberate, quiet
and patient.

SNOW KING.
Pure white Collie.

CHAPTER VI.

BeATN ING - THE COLLIE:

“Whatever sad mischance o’ertake ye,
Man, he’s the dog will ne’er forsake ye.’

ie Where | live we have
~ nowork in driving or herd-
ing sheep for our Collie, so
that we have never had oc-
casion to train him for this
purpose. I give here, how-
ever, some helpful sugges-
tions gleaned from various
sources and _ pronounced
Rs correct by those who have

oe had practical experience in

See the matter.

JEANNIE DEANS. But one person should
have the training of a Collie, and this one person should
have the dog’s care as well as his confidence and
affection.

A simple scolding, not in a rough way but in kind
and warning tones, or tying him up and chiding him,
is all the punishment a Collie should have. Positively
never strike him with your hands, or in fact with any-
thing else, to correct his faults. A well-trained Collie
will do his work by watching the motion of your hands.
This is the best way for him; no matter how far away
he is from the sound of your voice, provided he can

42 LIGGLE PET BOOK.

see you he will know what you want. A good way to
teach hand signals is to take small pieces of meat and
with a wave of the arm throw it one direction so he can
get it, gradually lengthening the distance, then throw
itin the other direction. He will soon learn the way
your hand goes is the way for him to go.

In training a dog always use the same words of
command, and as you give these commands accom-
pany them with appropriate gestures. “Go fetch ’em
up,” ‘‘Head away,” ‘ Get out wide,” “Slow, slow,”
“ Hold,” are some of the commands used by shepherds.

- A puppy should be
six months old before his
| training is begun, and
Eleven then field work
®| should not be undertaken
HOLDING” A SHEEP TO Have Untilhe has beens ies

HIS PICTURE TAKEN. know and love his master
and to obey the first simple rules of dog conduct,
coming when called and staying until told he can go.

When there are older dogs already at work with
stock a puppy of three or four months will pick up
much by being with them. The old dogs will often
correct them for their faults.

Don’t get angry, don’t speak in a loud tone, ‘don’t
expect too much at first, don’t allow him to be with the
stock unless you are there. It is the Collie’s instinct
to drive, yet untrained; while he probably would not
hurt them, he would chase a flock of sheep to death.
When you first start out with him to drive stock keep
him with you, but don’t let him work at all. Let him
first get accustomed to the stock and them to him.

PANN Gite COBLIE. 43

Never let a young and inexperienced dog try driv-
ing horses and cattle. In his eagerness and impetu-
osity he may get badly kicked, which will probably
make him timid the rest of his life.

Teach the dog to lie down at the word “ Down.”
The way to do this is to gently press him to the ground,
repeating the word of command. As you move away
from him he will naturally want to get up, but go back
and repeat the lesson. When he has learned to keep
the position until told to come, take him out with you
to the stock and make him lie down. Then witha
little feed or salt get the flock together and gradually
work around to the opposite side from the dog, then
call him. He will circle around the flock to come to
you, and in a few lessons, by signalling with either hand,
he will comprehend which way you wish him to come,

When going from you to fetch a flock never allow
the dog to dash across in front of you, always make
him go from behind you; it is apt to make them de-
scribe wider circles, which is what you want.

A gentleman who has trained many dogs teaches
them “ working around” by using a big dry-goods box
placed in one end of the barn floor. When he has
learned to go around either way as directed he then
tries the dog in driving a few ducks.

_ J£he should be inclined to run about and chase
the stock, take a strong cord and tie it to his collar and
give it a sharp pull, at the same time commanding him
‘“‘Slow, slow.” It is a good plan to train the dog when
the sheep are tired ; they will then be less likely to run
and more apt to bunch up together. Start work driv-
ing in a lane or road rather than a field.

44 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The young dog is very apt to nip the heels of the
stock. He must be restrained from this. When a
sheep lags behind or strays away, start after it. Just
before he reaches it tighten the cord so that he cannot
touch it. This will frighten the sheep and it will go
back to the flock. The cord is the only way to teach
a dog to goslow. As I have said elsewhere, one lesson
must be thoroughly learned before another is at-
tempeed, It will be the work of several months to
train the young dog, and even
after that there will be much for
_ him to learn.
¢ The tendency of the Collie is

eK

DRIVING OUT THE PIGS. to drive stock too fast. Try to —

restrain him. Don’t expect too much from a young
dog. Some men haven’t sense enough to drive stock.

Try to be alone when giving the dog his lesson;
strangers will occupy his attention and distract him.

A well-trained dog will not run straight at the
sheep, but will circle out and come around them.

Although a shepherd dog takes the greatest inter-
est in and care of his flock, the sheep never return his
affection.

An intelligent dog always watches his master for
guidance. Don’t waste time on a stupid or sulky dog,
but be sure to give time and patience. A slow begin-
ning may make a good ending.

CHAPTER VII.
trees Ok DOGS:

An old dog cannot learn new tricks.—Harriet.

Every dog is capable of learning
a few simple tricks, and the more in-
telligent breeds can be taught an un-
limited number of amusing perform-
ances. The pleasure you and your
| friends will derive from what your pet
‘can do, will amply repay you for all
the time and trouble you may take in his education.

Below I give the method I have employed in
teaching some of my dogs their best tricks. In start-
ing, |] assume that the dog has been trained to come
to you, to lie down and to follow you
“to heel’; no dog’s education can
successfully be carried on until these
necessary rudiments have been thor-
oughly learned. It is a_very old
saying that the way to a dog’s heart
is through his stomach, and it is
equally true with most dogs that the
way to their intelligence is by the
same route. Have a cracker or some little reward
when he is learning his tricks, and never forget to pet

MINDING BABY.

him and call him a “good dog” when he has suc-
ceeded. The hope of reward is a far better educator
than fear of punishment.

46 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

In training dogs have the room quiet so that they
can pay attention. Each lesson must be thoroughly
learned before the next is tried, and always go through
the old ones before starting the new. Use as few
words as possible to convey your meaning, but these
words should be pronounced slowly and distinctly in a
firm but calm voice.

You can teach a dog to shake hands by taking his
paw and shaking it, at the same time saying, “ Shake
hands.” Be eel always to take the same paw.

Take a feather and tickle the
dog’s nose, and he will immediately
commence to sneeze, and at the
same time command him in words
to ‘“sneeze’’; he will not ilikes me
feather very much, and by and by,

mg as though his imagination fore-

A FRENCH Pooprn SHadowed it, he ‘will Wsmcemegia

Knows as much as Merely having it pointed at his

gome boys. nose, and in a little while he will
learn to sneeze at the mere command to do so.

I used to have an Irish terrier which when I
asked him, “ Mike, which would you rather do, live in
America or die in Ireland?” would keel over, close
his eyes and remain perfectly still. I taught him by
placing him on his back, holding him gently on the
floor and repeating the words ‘die in Ireland,” “ die
in Ireland,” over and over. He persisted for a long
time in wagging his stump of a tail just a little and in
peeping out of the corner of his eye to see what was
going on, but he soon learned to feign death perfectly.
A favorite question is, ‘‘ Which would you rather do,

TRICKS FOR DOGS. 47

live a Republican or die a Democrat?” or vice versa
according to your politics. Of course, the dog must.
be trained to die at the word “ Democrat” or “ Repub-
lican,” as the case may be. Don’t let him get up until
you say, “Alive again.”

To teach the dog to walk erect, hold a bone or
something in a spoon a little above the dog’s nose, but
not so high as to lead him to jump to get it. As he
reaches for it, induce him to rise upon his hind feet,
saying as you do so, “ Up, up.””. When he reaches the
proper standpoint, let him remain p=
there a second or two and then let 2%
him have the bone. Soon he will yegay
stand upon your merely holding &
your hand in the position described
and saying, “ Up, up.” Then he may
be taught to walk in this position
by slowly moving the bone or your
hand slightly in advance. These ex-
ercises should not be tediously pro-
longed, especially at first, for the § ae
position is an unnatural and very — roxuounps IN
fatiguing one to the animal. After rg ca
he thoroughly understands what is required of him
you may check any attempt he may make to regain
his natural position before you are willing, by a gentle
tap under the chin or under the fore paws.

He may, if preferred, be taught to beg without
learning to stand erect; in this case he may be made
to sit down, and then, pressing his haunches down to
prevent his rising to his feet, tap him under the chin
till he takes the right position, or better yet set him up

48 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

in the corner of the room. Repetition is, of course,
necessary until he learns what is desired, and each
time you place him in position it is well to say “ Beg”
two or three times, so he may associate the word with
the act. Dogs, ike many of the human race, after
they have got the hang of it will beg persistently for
the sake of an occasional trifling reward.

It is better to let the dog thoroughly master beg-
ging before it is attempted to teach him to “speak
for it.” Take a piece of some article of food which
he is fond of, and allowing him to see it, command
him to “speak for it.” Of course he will not under-
stand what you mean, and will probably only gaze
wistfully at the morsel. By and
by he will grow impatient and
give vent to a sharp bark. The
moment he has done this give
him the article, for although he
has not understood you he has done what you desired,
and by rewarding him he learns that this is the case.
If at first he does not show an inclination to bark he
may be stimulated to do so by your giving a “ bow-
wow ” yourself.

In teaching your dog to toss a morsel in the air
and catch it, hold a switch or your hand under: the
dog’s chin, and tap him whenever he tries to lower his
head to let the meat drop. If he does not presently
jerk his head up, and so throw the morsel into the air,
you should strike him under the chin a pretty smart
rap to make him do so. When it leaves his nose there -
will be no instruction required to make him seize it
promptly before it has a chance to reach the ground;

OFF TO MARKET.

TRICKS FOR DOGS. 49

should it, however, touch the ground, it is well to take
it from him and make him toss it again.

A dainty dog, Jean, belonging to a young friend,
brings her tablecloth, a newspaper, and spreads it out
on the floor. The paper was placed in her mouth and
her jaws held together to prevent the paper falling out.
She was led from the closet, where the paper was kept,
across the room to where she was fed, her mistress re-
peating constantly, ‘“‘ Tablecloth, tablecloth.” When
she reached her destination she was rewarded by her
meal. Jean learned to bring her tablecloth in five or
six lessons. Now when she is hungry she sometimes
goes of her own volition and :
gets the newspaper. If she is
not hungry it is often impossi-
ble to get her to bring it, which
shows better sense than many
people have. po ¢ iy

The same friend had a fox a ih)
terrier which she taught to © ss enmnttiiniitaens
spell his name, “Odie.” The BERNARD.
mistress would say “O” and wait for him to bark,
then “d”’ and wait, then “i” and “e.” After a few
lessons he would bark four times and then stop.

The outline here of a few simple tricks will sug-
gest to you the method by which many others may be
acquired. I have seen dogs dance to music, jump over
chairs and through hoops, put their heads down in
their paws and close their eyes as in prayer and not
rise until you say “Amen,” walk on their front feet,
bring their tail in their mouth, carry lunch out in the
field to their master, jump rope, dance, and many other

50 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

like accomplishments. I knew a dog that would take
a penny to the butcher and buy each day his supply
of meat, carrying it home in a little basket.

Another trick. Hold the dainty before him, keep-
ing his mouth shut, saying, ‘‘ Trust, sir, trust.” Then
loose his mouth and say, ‘“ Paid for,” as he eats it. He
will soon learn not to take it until it is “ paid for.”

Your dog could master many, or all of these.
Be gentle, firm and have a good stock of patience and
you can work wonders with him. Hunting dogs should
not be taught tricks. Collies are not good trick-dogs,
they are too dignified.

CHAPTER VIII.

CATES:

I thoroughly believe that you cannot kill a cat with kind-
ness.—Harriet.

Do not deny the children the pleas-
ure to be derived from intimacy with
pussy. Of course there are cats and
cats, as there are good and indifferent
eke people, but I mean the ideal home-cat
or romping kitten.

But only about one growing child in twenty is a
proper person to have a kitten or a cat, and nothing
is more distressing to me than to see a kitten being
mauled and hurt by a child, often ee teuconely, but
eae paren “Just for
fun.” While a good-
a full-grown
cat will not know-
ingly scratch or bite
children, and _ will
submit to many in-
dignities at their |
hands, only endeay- 2
oring to get away,a kitten knows no such restraint.
Children are then apt to find, as a littie girl expressed
it, that ‘‘ Pussy has pins in her toes.” ;

Many persons neglect to teach their children what
kind treatmentis. If only for self-interest, they should

52 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

remember that a tame and affectionate cat is far more
valuable and companionable than some wild, fright-
ened, crabbed creature.

I am one of those who believe that cats are capa-
ble of deep affection for their guardians, for I have
seen many cases where cats have
mourned the departure, or gladly
welcomed the return, of those they
have loved and trusted.

Cats have some advantages
over dogsas home-pets. They are
less clumsy, they take up less room,
do not eat so much, are not so
noisy, nor do they track dirt into
the house on a muddy day. They

NAPOLEON.
French Angora. are as good, or better, as ratters

7 ‘ ‘ig
Valued at $5,000. and mousers, and seldom have any

odor, a fault from which few dogs are free.

Cats, in their nature, are clean, sagacious, tena-
cious of life, brave, independent, and usually self-suf-
ficient. They are irritable by temperament, sensitive
to changes of weather, to frost, to thunder; they are
excitable, and naturally disposed to bite and scratch
when at play; there is a tendency in them to lose their
heads when in high spirits.

A cat’s attachment to her home is very great. She
is unhappy and distressed if she leaves it, and tries
her very best to get back to it if taken away. Many
stories are told of the distances cats have traveled in
going from a new home back to an old one, and of ob-
stacles they have encountered; on the other hand, a
dog will be happy and contented in any place if he is

CATS. 53

with his master or his family. Cats will not take pun-
ishment well; if they are struck their temper rises,
they may strike back, and are less ¥
forgiving than a dog. Beyond a ~
gentle tap to a kitten, a scolding
will usually be rebuke enough. In —
some ways, cats are smarter than
dogs, their attainments running in different direc-
tions.

Don’t let the boys sick the dogs on the cats. In
every well-regulated household the cat and dog should
be on friendly, if not intimate, terms.

The cats at the barn should have a saucer of milk
at milking time. Their systems need milk, particu-
mummmmmmimenemen| larly if they have been catching
and eating rats, and you must re-
member that, when all the mice
and rats are killed, the picking
around the barn will be pretty
1 poor, and pussy, if hungry, has

nothing else to do but turn her
attention to birds and young poultry. By the way, I
cured a young cat of chicken-killing by the method
described on page Ir.

Cats should be fed regularly ; they should have ac-
cess to grass or catnip, which they use as medicine,
and also to fresh water. We all know that milk does
not quench thirst.

A young acquaintance of mine, by the way, says
that it is a mistake to feed cats nothing but bread and
milk. She says the yeasty fermentations from the
bread cause indigestion and fits, and the lactic acid

SIAMESE CAT.

YOU NAUGHTY CAT!

54 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

from the milk breeds in the cat’s stomach, as it does in
cheese, myriads of worms. Under these conditions,
the cat soon becomes emaciated, coughs, has a poor
appetite, loses its hair, and finally dies, a victim to its
owner’s ignorance.

Many cats are fond of celery, asparagus, and other
vegetables. A mixed diet of scraps, such as comes
from the table, is the best diet for cats. Rice pud-
ding makes an excellent feed. As a general rule, no
meat or fish should be given raw. Cats like their food
warm, especially in winter. Sour milk is likely to pro-
duce stomach troubles.

Cats can be trained to perform tricks, but I never
yet have seea a cat that looked happy while perform-
ing; they should be trained when young. The first

: lesson should be to teach them to
love and obey, not fear you; that
4. accomplished, you will not find
4 “a it so hard to teach them other

things, but it will require great

OUT FOR A RIDE. patience in repeating over and
over what you want done.

Harriet has a solemn cat, named Solomon, who
will get in a basket, and be pulled up to the second
story, when his mistress does not want to go down-stairs
to let him in.

Jumping is a feat easily learned; cats have great
jumping powers, which can readily be increased by
practice. A common trick is to teach pussy to jump
through your arms; begin by holding them low in
front of you, with pussy between you and them; after
she gets accustomed to that you can hold them to one

CATS. 55

side and increase the height by degrees, until you get
them right over your head while standing erect.

With a little patience many other tricks can be
readily taught, such as ringing a bell, standing on their
hind legs and begging, giving you their és
paws, playing dead, going to lie down in
a designated place, shutting a door, or
opening one with a latch to it, making Pogs
her follow you about the house or street,
come to your whistle like a dog, or re-
trieve, that is bring things to you when told. After
each performance you should reward your cat, either
by gently caressing her, or giving her a little dainty
morsel to eat of what she likes
best.

You can usually tell when a
| cat lives ata home where she is
F |appreciated by the sleek and

|well-kept appearance. A _ neg-
lected cat soon bears evidence
Eas ia in itself and does not seem to
CAT BASKET. care how she looks.

Never use a comb in cleaning a cat, it breaks the
hairs and renders the coat rough. Brush the coat
well with a soft brush, or rub with a mitten. Wash-
ing the cat is a difficult job and never necessary or
advisable unless for some special reason, or for a
white cat that has gotten soiled.

To wash a cat, make a soft soap-suds, compara-
tively thick, apply commencing at the hind quarters
and tail, and gradually rub in until the ears are
reached. After the soap-suds have been thoroughly

READING!

56 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

rubbed in, dip the animal, hind feet first, into a tub of
tepid water to rinse it off. It should then be wrapped
up in a soft towel and the excess of water pressed out;
then put in a basket of clean oat straw and kept ina
warm place, where it will finish the drying and clean-
ing for itself by rolling in the straw and by licking
itself, after which it can be brushed with a soft brush.
When a white cat is washed it im-
proves its color to rinse in bluing just
like a white garment.

Don’t try to transport a cat from
one place to another without carefully
securing it in some way. It is cruel
to putitina bag. Put it in a basket
or box and see that the lid is fast.
Cats are often lost in this way, and
WHITE ANGORA.» they are so scared and frantic that
they seem to: completely lose control of themselves.

Long-headed, sharp-nosed cats are said to be the best ratters
and mousers.

Don’t throw the cat up in the air to see if it will always alight
on its feet. It always wili.

Contrary to the generally accepted idea, a starved cat is a poor
mouser. Its sense of smell is developed by good care and feeding.

If the cat is kept in the house a pan half filled with dry earth
should be kept where she can always have access to it night and
day. With care there need be no trouble.

Cats are said to be good weather prophets. Ifa cat is seen to
wash her face with vigor, it is going to be stormy, and if she sits
with her back to the fire, it predicts cold weather.

A cat that is well fed and cared for will seldom want to go
roaming at night. Let her have the run of the house, give hera
bed in a corner and she will be contented and happy.

Give the cata little lump of butter on each paw once in a while
or dab her here and there with fresh cream. She will clean her-
self all over and the cream and the licking will make her coat
glossy and sleek.

CHAPTER IX.

VARIETIES: OF «CATS.

The hundred dollar cats don’t seem to have nine lives like
common barn cats.—Tim.

Excepting for the differences in color few people
realize that there is any difference in cats. The com-
gi mon cat of almost all our households is
the short-haired European cat, which
has been a companion of civilized man
for many centuries. Of these cats the
color is the chief variation, and some
», of these have become so characteristic
that they have become distinctive of a
particular strain or breed; thus many of the so-called
breeds are simply fesmenions of different colors.
But even these colors are not absolutely fixed, for
striped parents may have solid-colored kittens and
vice versa. Tortoise-shell cats may be produced by a
solid-colored father and a tortoise-shell mother, and
so on.

The long-haired cats of the Angora style are more
rare and are just at present the varieties most sought
after. They require a great deal of care to keep their
coats in order, and their constitutions are not so strong
as the native kinds. Solid-colored cats are usually
esteemed more highly than striped cats, yet on the
other hand tortoise-shell cats are among the most
prized of our short-haired varieties.

55 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The TORTOISE-SHELL in color should somewhat
resemble the color of a tortoise-shell comb, being a
black, red and yellow; no white is allowed on any
part of this variety. The markings must be not only
deep in color, but distinct and blending evenly where
they meet. Tortoise-shell toms or he-cats of that
color, without any white on them, are very rare; in-
stances have been known where from one hundred to
five hundred dollars have been offered for a single
cat; any cat that would bring that much money would
certainly be sure of a good home. Pure tortoise-shell
females are much more common.

There is another variety of the Tortoise-shell with
white on it, in which the fore legs, lower part of the
hind legs, breast, throat, lips and a circle around them
and a blaze on the forehead are white, the balance
being tortoise-shell. The head of the Tortoise-shell is
small and inclined to be round; ears moderately large
and pointing forward; the tail is long and also marked.
The eyes are an orange yellow. Altogether the Tortoise.
shell is a graceful, slender, attractive cat.

BLACK or WHITE CATS are cats of
these solid colors. The black cat is
apt to be the larger of the two. He is
bold, brave and fierce, full of life and
daring, and not so fond of being petted,
is more apt to be a greater thief, but is
likely to be more cleanly about the

WHITE CAT. house, and healthier and more hardy in
constitution; while a white cat is more quiet, and of
a gentler and more loving disposition, fond of petting,
more honest, but of a weaker constitution, and

VARIETIES ‘OF ‘CATS. 59

~

not so easily trained to habits of cleanliness. To
be considered first-class a black cat should not have
a particle of white about it anywhere, and the same
is true with black hairs on a white cat. A good
white cat with a short, smooth coat, which must be
kept scrupulously clean, is a handsome animal. The
eyes of the black cat should be orange color; of the
white cat blue or yellow, the former being much
preferred. A black cat will get gray hairs Hes
its coat as it gets old. es
In addition to these solid colors
there are gray, red and blue cats.
The blue or so-called Maltese is not
of a real blue, but of a slate or mouse
color. When I was a boy they were |.4
quite rare, but now are comparative) ————
common. They are supposed to have TWINS.
come from the Island of Malta, hence their name.
Those with blue eyes are preferred. They grow
to a good size and are strong and hardy after pass-
“3 through kittenhood. Their heads should be rather
@em|short and broad across the fore-
© | head, with short ears, broad at the

The BROWN STRIPED TABBY
is one of the largest of our domestic
“cats. The color should be a rich,
dark brown with markings or
igo | stripes of deep glossy black. They

TABBY CAT. should have soft, rich fur and the
stripes should be of uniform width. The markings
should be graceful in curve and should be closely

60 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

defined, that is, the brown and black should be sharply
separated. These cats make the best ratters and
mousers. They are sometimes called Tiger cats. Their
eyes are orange color, slightly tinged with green.

The BANDED RED Tabspsy has bands of deep red
on an orange ground, making it a handsome cat. In
addition there are yellow, brown, chestnut, gray, silver,
light gray and white striped tabbies. The great con-
sideration with any of these should be the distinctness,
gracefulness and regularity of the markings and the
smoothness of their coats. Still further, in addition
to these varieties or rather colorings I have named
are Tabby cats which are more spotted than striped.
They have a ground color of light gray, mouse, red,
brown, or dark gray with spots of black or white.

The mixed-colored cats, as a general thing, do not
attain the size of the solid-colored cats. The principal
feature in selecting a cat of any of the above colorings
is to see that the markings are sharp, distinct, and
evenly located. ‘The size should be as large as possi-
ble without being too leggy ; the head should be shapely
with ears not too large and with eyes that match the
predominant color of the cat’s coat;
the coat should be smooth and wines:
the hair short and the tail long but not
bushy.

The Asiatic or long-haired cats are
thought to be more delicate, particularly

PERSIAN :
TABBY CAT. as kittens, than the European or short-

hairs; they are not such good ratters or mousers, but
they make nicer pets, being of a more affectionate dis-
position, and are fonder of other animals, such as

VARIETIES OF CATS. 61

dogs, rabbits, etc. Their love for their master or mis-
tress ends only with death. In the country they will
roam around a great deal, a habit which should be
discouraged if intended for breeding or exhibition
purposes.

The AnGoraA cat, like the Angora goat, has long,
silky hair, small head and rather short nose, large eyes
harmonizing with the color of the coat, small, pointed
ears that are rather hidden by the heavy mane which
is full and fluffy around the neck, and a long tail cury-
ing upward with the hair on it
longer near the body than at the
top. The body is long as com-
pared in proportion with common
cats. Angora cats are of all colors,
popular in the order named—white,
black, blue or Maltese, orange or
red, slate-colored, fawn, mottled
gray and light gray. Mixed col-
ors are more common than solid colors. The white
Angora should have blue eyes to meet popular fancy.
The biack and yellow’s eyes should be amber. These
cats do not reach maturity until about two years old.
They have good dispositions, are playful and friendly,
but the females particularly are apt to be nervous.
The illustration on page 52 shows Napoleon the Great,
a pure French Angora, with bushy, orange fur. He
weighs twenty-three pounds and his owner has refused
an offer of four thousand dollars for him.

The PERSIAN cat is perhaps the choicest of the
long-haired varieties, particularly when pure black, with
a big fluffy mane and orange eyes. Next in popularity

ANGORA KITTEN.

62 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

comes the pure white with pink eyes. No cat is more
beautiful when its coat is kept in good order, and none
more bedraggled and untidy when
dirty and neglected. It is diffi-
cult for an amateur to distinguish
| between a Persian and an Angora.
Ai The hair of the Persian is longer,
2? straighter and coarser; the cat is
_|longer in body, with a longer and
—|fuller-haired tail. On this ac-
|count it looks even larger than
the Angora. The colors are like
the Angora, and the temper is
said to be less dependable, nor

PRIZE-WINNING WHITE
PERSIAN. are they so intelligent.

Value, $2.500. The RussIANn cat’s charac-

teristics are its unusually large body and relatively
short legs. Its fur is denser and longer, particularly
around the neck, while the tail is covered from base to
tip with hair of equal length. In color they come in
as many varieties as the other breeds I have named.

Very many of the long-haired cats are crosses of
the Angora with the Russian or
Persian cat, and it takes an expert
to distinguish those really pure bred.

In this country there is a purely
American breed called the COON cat,
with long hair, now quite common in °
our New England States, particularly
in the State of Maine. Not long ago
a consignment of these cats was sent to my neighbor-
ing city, and while not sold as Angoras, Persians or

COON CAT.

VARIETIES OF CATS. 63

Russians, there was not one person in a hundred who
could tell the difference. The kittens sold for from
five dollars to twenty-five dollars each. It is said to
have originated by a cross of the original cat with the
raccoon. They are not so domestic as our common
pets, yet if allowed plenty of liberty they are affection-
ate, intelligent and as pretty as any.

The SIAMESE cat is attracting attention. It isa
rather small, lithe and graceful short-haired cat. They
are light, silver-gray or fawn color, with black ears,
legs and tails. See illustration, page 53.

The MANnx cat, but little known are
in this country, is the name given
to cats without tails or with only a
very small one. The Manx cat is
a great forager, runs like a hare, is
docile and biddable. They are
found in all cat colors. There are MANX CAT.
still other varieties, as yet but little known here.

In recent years the raising of fine cats has be-
come a profitable industry and numerous “ catteries”
have been established in this country. A_ well-bred
kitten of some of the popular breeds sells from ten
dollars to thirty dollars, and as yet the supply has
not outstripped the demand. This is something
that the women and girls of our country homes could
manage. I have heard of a young girl in the country
who started with three Angora cats and from them
raised eighteen kittens. From the profit on these
she was enabled to go to boarding school for a term
and had money over to help pay the debts of the
household.

64 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The best results in raising kittens are obtained
where the cats are made a part of the household and
given the run of the house and grounds. The
kittens are thus home-
broken, and if kindly and
intelligently treated have
better constitutions and
are more friendly than
when raised in a cat-

. tery. When raised in
™ g this way great care must
@? be taken that the breed
“| does not become mixed
: ~ with the common cats
KING MAX. of the neighborhood. A

A Full-Blooded Angora. kitten that will bring a
good round price must be one of pure breed and pedi-
gree and in itself attractive and handsome.

A cattery is nothing more than a well-built, airy
and dry poultry house, warmed in winter, with good,
dry out-door runs enclosed with wire netting. But I
would advise none of my young friends to go into the
business on this scale until they have first succeeded in
raising cats of high degree around the home.

ae

A Yi ~
a et Ea ij . ee
P77 apes

CHAPTER X.

DiseAsk > OF DOGS AND CATS.

With dogs and cats, particularly, prevention is much easier
than cure.—Tim.

A dog or a cat, having the run of a farm or village
home, with a clean, dry place to sleep, and intelligent
care as to feed, should have very little to trouble it
in the way of disease. Most troubles come from lack
of exercise and improper feeding. The ailments of
domestic animals are singularly like those of the hu-
man family, and if there is no veterinary doctor to be
had, and your family doctor has his heart in the right
place, he will not hesitate to prescribe for the sufferer.
It would not, however, be professional etiquette to
offer him a fee for the service.

A dose the same size as that for a man would be
right for the big dogs—Mastiffs, St. Bernards, etc.: a
dose half the size for middle-sized dogs — Pointers, Set-
ters, etc.: and one-quarter to one-eighth the size for
the little fellows; and one-eighth to one-twelfth for
cats. In regard to age, the mature dog one part, the
yearling three-fourths of that amount, from six to nine
months old one-half dose, and from four to six weeks
old one-eighth part.

You can usually trick your dog into taking his
medicine by concealing it in some dainty. Most dogs
will take castor oil, cod-liver oil, and other remedies, if
they are mixed up in a little soup. Other remedies,

66 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

particularly homeopathic, can be mixed with the drink-
ing water. To administer medicine that cannot be
given in these ways, have some one hold the dog firmly
between the knees, and hold open the mouth by twist-
ing a towel around the upper jaw. ,If a pill, put it well
back on the tongue, and hold the mouth shut until the
dog swallows. Liquid medicine can be poured into the
pocket formed by the lower teeth and lips, then when
the mouth is closed, this will trickle through the teeth.
No animal is so determined and self-contained

as 4.cat io eyoune | of any kind is so difficult to feed
eye against its will. A well cat is
‘hard to kill; a sick one is
- equally difficult to cure. In the
administering of medicines, or
in the performance of surgical
| operations upon the cat, greater
care is necessary than in the
case of the dog. The cat will
inflict severe injury upon the
person of even its most familiar
friend; so in order to proceed
with safety, it is necessary to
roll the cat in a piece of rather thick but pliable cloth,
sufficiently large to go around the animal’s body three
or four times; have the fore legs well placed beneath
the body before starting to roll the animal in the cloth ;
allow only the head to protrude, then have assistant
hold the animal upon the lap, with the lower extremity
between the knees. Do not apply pressure enough to
injure the animal, but hold firmly. Now, with a stick
lik a meat skewer open the jaws, and by means of a

PUSSY HAS A BAD LEG.

DISEASES OF DOGS. AND CATS. 67

spoon slowly pour the medicine well back upon the top
of the tongue. Thecat greatly dislikes being smeared
with anything; so becareful not to get the medicine
upon the fur, or, in case it should, it must be sponged
away carefully. A pair of tough leather gloves should
be worn as a protection against the teeth and nails.
The sick cat is generally as sick as it appears, or even
more so. Provide the patient with comfortable quar-
ters as soon as possible. A quiet room without carpet
is good; there should be a shallow box filled with ashes
or sawdust; another box should contain a soft cushion,
and, if the season demands it, heat should be supplied,
but the animal should not be allowed to get in a very
warm place, as, for example, beneath the stove.

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS.

CANKER OF THE MoutTu —A disease of the dog and cat, com-
mon in aged animals and in those closely confined or fed food un-
suitable or in large amounts.

Symptoms.—Difficulty in chewing, dropping food from the
mouth, bleeding from the gums, fetor of the breath, deposit of
tartar around the teeth, loose teeth, decayed teeth, spongy gums.

Treatment.—Remove loose teeth and all tartar, wash mouth
with salt water three times daily, after which wash mouth with
listerine and water, equal parts, or with peroxide of hydrogen and
immediately afterwards with tincture of myrrh applied with a
camel’s-hair brush. Feed soft foods and sparingly of meats.

CHOKING may result from rapid eating of bones or tough
meat. :

Symptoms.— Animal distressed, frequent attempts at vomiting ;
may detect the foreign body along the lower margin of the neck.
Do not mistake the top of the windpipe for the obstruction. By
external manipulation with the fingers it can often be remedied ;
give occasional small amounts of sweet oil or other mild grease ;
in urgent cases send for veterinarian, as instruments may be re-
quired.

68 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Coxtic.—Acute pain in the stomach and bowels; rather com-
mon in puppies and kittens. It is rarely fatal, but repeated attacks
indicate faulty condition of the digestive organs.

Symptoms.—Sudden severe uneasiness, animal moves around
distressed and may howl or moan at times. Abdomen often dis-
tended with gas.

Causes —Most common from fermentation of the contents of
the stomach from overeating or from spoiled food. In puppies and
kittens may be due to the inability to masticate food perfectly.

Remedies.—lf severe give 20 drops of chloroform in milk or in
teaspoonful of glycerine, well mixed. This dose is for animal of 15
to 20 pounds weight. May repeat in 30 minutes. If swollen with
gas give following every 4 hours: Soda bicarbonate, 15 grains;
essence of ginger, 5 drops; water, % ounce. Mix.

INDIGESTION.—Simple acute indigestion in the cat often fol-
lows engorgement of the stomach with food. The natural method
of relief in such cases is by means of vomiting; grass, and other
green vegetation, or even hay is frequently eaten by the cat for the
purpose of inducing vomiting. Cats should always have access
to grass or catnip. In cases in which the vomiting is persistent,
give 2- to 3-grain doses of subnitrate of bismuth twice or three
times daily. Catnip tea is also useful in doses of 1 to 2 tea-
spoonfuls. Feed regularly and rather sparingly of food of the best
quality, boiled milk, lean meat only, and little or no vegetables.

Medicines.—Bismuth as above directed ; also 5 drops tincture
gentian twice daily.

CHRONIC INDIGESTION may follow several attacks of colic.
It is a more serious condition than colic.

Symptoms.—General unthrifty appearance, appetite depraved,
animal apt to eat filth of any kind, as manure and other foreign
bodies; may have attacks of colic, bloating, diarrhoea, or in some
cases constipation may be severe. Mouth pasty, breath offensive.

Causes.—Like those of colic, some fault in food or feeding.
Lack of exercise and bad drainage or unclean condition of kennels
also a frequent cause.

Treatment.—Take of castor oil and glycerine each 1 ounce, oil
of cinnamon, 5 drops; mix well. Give the animal from 1 teaspoon-
ful to 14% ounces of the mixture. After the bowels are emptied
by the above dose, secure the following pills and give 1 pill twice
daily for dog of moderate size: Extract nux vomica, Io grains;
powdered rhubarb, 20 grains. Mix, and make into 30 pills.

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS, 69

Give small quantity of salt each day in the food.

For bloating give small doses of bicarbonate of soda daily in
milk.

DIARRHaa< is also the result of indigestion in puppies, kittens,
and also in very old animals on account of poor teeth.

The attack may be sudden and acute with all the symptoms of
indigestion. May be severe vomiting. Discharges from bowels
frequent amd offensive. Weakness may be alarming.

In chronic cases less pronounced symptoms.

Treatment.—Pure air, clean surroundings, good food in small
amounts, pure water.

Give first a purgative dose of castor oil, from a tablespoonful
to 144 ounces, according to size of animal.

If severe, secure following prescription, give from I to 6 table-
spoonfuls, according to size of animal, every 4 hours: Tincture of
catechu, 2 ounces; laudanum, 4 drams; chalk-mixture, 2 ounces;
tincture of ginger,4 drams. Mix. Shake well.

PTOMAINE POISONING.—Cause.—The feeding of spoiled foods,
especially meats. Often fatal.

Symptoms.—Fetid breath, foul mouth, gums often inflamed or
even ulcerated, severe vomiting, diarrhcea; later, animal greatly
prostrated, and later, insensible.

Treatment.—Cleanse the mouth with salt water, give full pur-
gative dose of castor oil, and follow with from 5 to 20 grains of
salol 3 times daily for 3 or 4 days. Give clean water and good sup-
ply of air.

DYSENTERY differs from diarrhoea in the character of the dis-
charges and in being more often fatal. Discharges slimy mucus,
and often bloody.

Treatment.—Enema of ice water should be employed if the
temperature of the animal is over 103° F. Calomel in doses of
from I to 5 grains at intervals of 6 hours for a day or two only.

CONSTIPATION.—Common in animals kept in confinement.
Lack of exercise a cause.

Symptoms.—Difficulty in emptying the bowels, feces of hard
character.

Treatment.—For many cases simply exercise the animal ; in
severe cases give full dose of castor oil. Enemas of warm water
and soap or glycerine repeated every half-hour are necessary in
severe cases or when the trouble is due to the rectum being

70 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

packed with hard feces or pieces of bone. Do not attempt to
treat such cases with violent purgatives.

VOMITING occurs readily in both dog and cat. Not alarming
unless repeated frequently or if ejected matter is bloody, which in
an indication of irritant poisoning. Defective diet and overeating
acause. If common in an animal reduce and change the kind of
food, give abundant exercise. If of frequent occurrence give the
animal from 3 to 10 grains of subnitrate of bismuth an hour after
meals.

WorMs.—Parasitic worms are very common in the intestines
and stomach of the dogand cat. ‘The belief that puppies are born
with worms is not based upon fact. The eggs of worms are taken
by the puppy while nursing. Mature worms, filled with eggs, are
passed by the puppy’s mother or other dogs, and the eggs adhere
to the teats of the mother-dog or to the food. The puppy becomes
infected in that manner. Small amounts of worms cannot be said
to be injurious, but as all parasites should be combated whenever
possible it is well to treat the animal as soon as worms are noticed.
All worms passed should be destroyed by fire.

Worms frequently receive the blame for almost any ailment
the dog may have, but more puppies die from worms than from
any other cause.

Symptoms of stomach worms in puppies.—Enlarged abdomen,
called pot-bellied, vomiting of the worms, thin condition, indiges-
tion, and the passing of worms from the rectum.

Remedies.—Prevent infection by having the mother as free of
worms as possible, have kennel as clean as possible, have the
mother well fed that her milk-flow may suffice to nourish the
young well. A starved or debilitated animal falls an easy victim
to parasites of any kind.

The most troublesome worm in the cat is the round thread
worm which occurs in the stomach. It is sometimes the cause of
vomiting, during which the wormsare thrown off along with frothy
mucus. The remedy is santonine in doses of 1 to 2 grains only,
after fasting, followed in an hour by a tablespoonful of castor oil.

Treatment of stomach or round worms.—The following is effec-
tive: Take of santonine 1o grains; divide into 20 powders; give
from 1 to 3 powders in small quantity of milk, every 5 days on empty
stomach. Follow each dose in half-hour with a purgative dose of
castor oil. Give remedies for worms on empty stomach.

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS. 7p

SMALL WoRMS OF THE RECTUM.—Thread-like worms are
sometimes the cause of trouble, causing great irritation and rub-
bing. The parasites being about one-half inch long may escape
notice. The treatment is as follows: Take of quassia chips 1
ounce; add 1 pint boiling water; allow to cool; strain through
muslin, and with a syringe inject the rectum with 1 to 4 ounces
of the liquid once daily.

TAPE WorMS, as the name indicates, are flat worms. Theyare
formed of segments which increase in size from the head towards
the opposite end of the worm. As the segments become mature
they are dropped offand come away with the feces of the infected
animal. These segments are filled with eggs. To rid the animal
of tape worm the smail or head end of the worm must come away.

Remedy.—From a reliable druggist secure some powdered ka-
mala. Two grainsis the amount required for each pound of body
weight of the dogor cat. The stomach should be quite empty, so
fast the animal for 12 to 24 hours before giving the kamala. No
purge is required, as kamala has a purgative action of itself.

Watch the passages and examine with low-power magnifying
glass any parts of the worm which may be found. If the head,
armed with a circle of hook-like organs, is found, it means one
worm secured. There may be two or more present in the same
animal. The dose of kamala may be repeated in 4 or 5 days.

Grass is a natural medicine for dogs and cats. In small
doses, it acts as a purgative; in large ones,asanemetic. The
quantity eaten by the animal is generally regulated by the wants
of nature. Grass also has valuable medicinal properties, and a
dog or cat, in health and sickness, should have access to it.

DISEASES OF THE BREATHING ORGANS.

CATARRH.—Simple catarrh is not rare in both dogand cat. It
is at times confounded with distemper. Simple catarrh is not
contagious.

Syniptoms.—Evidence of chilly feeling, shivering, temperature
may reach 103° F., or even higher, nose hot and dry with more or
less discharge. Nocough except when laryngitis (sore throat) or
bronchitis is present. Appetite more or less impaired.

Treatment.—Warm, ciean quarters, good air without cur-
rents. Tempt appetite with varied food in small quantities. At

72 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

the beginning of the attack give quinine in doses of from one-half
to 5 grains and repeat once only 4 hours later. Keep nostrils clean
by sponge and tepid water.

Cause is exposure to cold or wet or filthy surroundings.

LARYNGITIS.—Inflammation of the lining membrane of the
throat.

Symptoms. — Difficulty in swallowing. Differentiate from
rabies, in which the swallowing may be impossible on account of
the paralysis of the throat, tongue and lower jaw. In laryngitis
the throat is sore upon pressure.

DIPHTHERIA.—Many authorities claim that cats are subject to
the above-named disease. The writer has seen cases which cer-
tainly at least closely resembled the disease, and considers cases
presenting the following symptoms should be isolated and watched
carefully: Sudden difficulty in swallowing and in breathing and
the throat upon examination internally showing greater or less
presence of membrane adherent to the lining of the throat. The
membrane presents a raised appearance and a dull white color.
Open the jaws as directed in giving medicine, and with an
atomizer spray the throat with full strength solution of hydrogen
peroxide. Repeat twice or three times daily.

Cause.—Exposure, tight collars, excessive barking.

Treatment.— Avoid large doses, as danger of choking is great,
Get the following: Take of powdered chlorate of potash 2 drams;
simple syrup t ounce. Mix. Give teaspoonful 4 times daily.

BRONCHITIS.—Inflammation of the lining membrane of the
windpipe and bronchial tubes.

Causes.—Same as in laryngitis, which it may follow or accom-
pany.

Symptoms.—Fever, cough, first dry but later more frequent
and with discharge of mucus from nose. Respiration frequent
and may be difficult.

Treatment.—Warm, clean, but well-ventilated room. Feed
broths or beef tea.

As medicine get syrup of ipecacuanha 4 drams. Give from Io to
40 drops every 3 or 4 hours, according to weight of the animal.
Also give from 15 to 60 drops of compound tincture of cinchona
twice or three times daily.

PNEUMONIA and PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.—Inflammation of the
lungs. May follow severe bronchitis or accompany it.

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS. 73

Symptoms.—Similar to bronchitis to ordinary observer. Tem-
perature high, animal sits on its haunches, breathing difficult ; if
pleurisy be present the chest is painful on pressure. The appetite
small or entirely lost.

Treatment.—Secure cleanliness, air and food, as intreatment of
bronchitis. Keep animal well blanketed. The medical treatment
of pneumonia is best left to an expert, as it is decidedly intricate.

DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

EczeEmMa.—Frequently confounded with mange, from which it
differs in not being due to a parasite and in not being contagious.

Symptoms.—Inflamed and itchy condition of the skin, com-
monly in the region of the back, neck, top of head and root of
the tail. Scratching violent, skin inflamed thereby and becomes
reddened and exudes a thin serous discharge which hardens and
forms a scab. This later is scratched off, leaving a raw, angry
surface. The diseased area may spread over the entire upper sur-
face of the body. The odor of a bad case is very offensive.

Internal Treatment.—Give Fowler’s Solution, dose carefully
regulated to the weight of the animal. For animal the size of a
fox terrier start with 2 dropstwice daily. Continue for 5 days,
then increase each dose 1 drop each day until 12 drops are
given at each dose. Continue at this amount 1 week, then de-
crease the dose 1 drop each day. Any swelling or decided redness
of the eyelids is indication that the drug be discontinued for a few
days. The skin should be kept clean by bathing and drying thor-
oughly. The diet should consist of boiled vegetables as much as
possible; small amounts of well-cooked fresh meat is allowable,
but regular and complete exercise must be enforced.

MANGE.—A disease of the skin due to microscopic parasites.
Differs from eczema in that it first most commonly attacks the soft
skin of the under surface of the body. The dog with eczema en-
joys being scratched, but in the case of mange the skin is de-
cidedly painful to the animal. The diagnosis is confirmed by the
microscope, by means of which the parasites may be seen.

Treatment.—Give frequent baths with warm water and soap,
dry well and apply enough of the following mixture to anoint the
skin: Take of crude petroleum 1 pint, Venice turpentine 1 ounce,
oil of tar 4 drams, flowers of sulphur 8 ounces. Mix

74 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

FLEAS AND LicE.—Most dogs have fleas, and about the best
one can do is to keep them reduced toa minimum. Even if you
get your dog free from them he will be sure to gather up a new
supply if there are any around or he meets another dog that has
them.

In winter spread newspapers on the floor and lay your dog on
them, then dust Dalmatian or Persian insect powder over him,
working it with the hand well into the roots of his
hair. The fleas will drop out; gather them up and
burn them, as they are only stunned. In summer
nothing is better than washing with some good dog
soap. As you rinse the lather off the dead fleas go
= Wi =? with it. Another plan is to take a piece of linen,
Hy saturate it with kerosene and rub well into the hair,
ee) /\|| Then wash off with soap and water.

HARRIET Dog lice are long, black, creeping insects that
WASHING seem to live only on dogs. They occasion great itch-
FANNIE. ing and irritation and are worse on long-haired than
on smooth-coated dogs. Here is a good remedy: Mix four ounces
of unslaked lime ina quart of water, mixed well together until a
creamy substance; when cool, apply to the dog and let it stay on
for ten minutes, then wash off. Persian powder rubbed into the
hair, and a good wash with soap and water will be equally effec-

tive.

Fleas on cats can be destroyed by the liberal use of Persian
insect powder dusted in the fur three times a week. Change the
cat’s bed frequently and destroy with boiling water any of the
insects which may be thereon.

Avoid the use of carbolic acid upon dog or cat, as both are
sensitive to its poisonous effects.

CHAPTER XI.

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS—Continued.

DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF SPECIAL SENSE.

AURICULAR CATARRH.—A disease of the ear frequently asso-
ciated with eczema. Frequent in long-eared dogs.

Symptoms.—First is noticed a scratching of the ear, the dis-
eased ear is carried lowest in traveling, frequent shaking of the
head. Examination of the ear reveals inflamed condition of the
interior, a discharge first watery, later becoming thicker and
darker and very offensive.

Causes.—Injury to the ear, as from
blows; the scratching induced by eczema
or fleas may also be a cause, exposure
to cold and wet, lack of exercise and
improper feeding.

Treatment.—I\n early stages clean ear
with mozst sponge, after which drop into
the ear from 4 to 6 drops of pure solution
of peroxide of hydrogen, repeat twice
daily. If the discharge is very offensive
clean the ear twice daily with soft sponge
moistened with ether, after which dust
the ear well with the following powder: Take of boric acid 2
ounces, iodoform 4 drams. Mix. Apply enough to dust the ear
twice daily.

SEROUS CYST OF EXTERNAL Ear.— Symptoms.— Apparent
thickening of the flap of the ear which contains fluid and fluctu-
ates upon pressure. May be hot and painful.

Cause.—Some violence to the ear, generally from excessive
shaking of the head in cases of catarrh or from irritation of flies
or fleas.

GOT THE EARACHE.

76 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Treatment.—The contents of the cyst evacuated by opening
the cavity freely at lowest point. Keep wound clean, and inject
cavity twice daily with 5 per cent. creolin and water. Ccver any
raw edges which may appear with powdered burnt alum twice
daily.

DISEASES OF THE EYE.

CONJUNCTIVITIS.—Inflammation of the mucous membrane of
the eyelid.

Symptoms.—Vary from simple congested condition with great
flow of tears to that of intense inflammation with catarrhal dis-
charge of matter which tends to glue the eyelids together.

Cause.— A very common complication in distemper may
result from direct injury to the eye or to the presence of foreign
body in the eye.

Treatment —Examine for foreign body, if present remove it.
Absolute cleanliness important ; bathe with tepid water three times
daily, after which apply with dropper few drops of following mix-
ture: Take of boric acid to grains, distilled water 1 ouncc. Mix.
If suffering be great apply to eye a few drops of 5 per cent. solu-
tion of cocain.

KERATITIS.—Inflammation of the cornea or front covering of
the eyeball.

Causes.—Injuries, also frequently as a complication of dis-

temper.
Symptoms.—A more or less opaque condition of the cornea,
milky color, may cover whole or part of the cornea, later may be
ulceration with pit-like depression due to death of part of the
cornea; this may amount to perforation.

Treatment.—Great cleanliness. Drop in the eye three times
daily _a few drops of the following solution: Sulphate of zine 5
grains, distilled water 1 ounce. Once daily apply a drop or
two of the following: Atropia sulphate 2 grains, mixed with 1
ounce distilled water.

DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.”

EpiLEpsy.-—Commonly known as fits. Frequently mistaken
for rabies or hydrophobia. Epilepsy is common in both dog and
cat, especially young animals.

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS. 77

Symptoms.—Sudden attack, trembling, staggering, falling
finally, frothing at the mouth; may moan or cry. The spasms are
of the whole body. Breathing irregular. Attacks last but a few
minutes; when animal recovers seems puzzled as to what has hap-
pened to it. The cat is sometimes greatly exhausted and frequently
has fits in rapid succession. After the attack in the dog it gener-
ally appears all right again.

Avoid exciting causes in epileptic animals, as fright or over-
exertion. The predisposng causes are heredity, irregular exer-
cise, overfeeding, acute febrile diseases, especially distemper, fol-
lowing which it is common. In rare cases the result of injuries to
the head.

Treatment.— Avoid exciting causes. During the attack protect
from those who would kill the animal as rabid. Ordinary smell-
ing salts or dilute ammonia fumes applied to the nostrils carefully.
In puppies and kittens troubled with worms treat as directed for
worms. Give exercise, feed the fat animal more sparingly. If
debilitated from distemper or other disease give good food and
clean surroundings, with ample chance for exercise.

CHoREA, or ST. Vitrus’ DANcE.—Involuntary twitching
movements of more or less of the muscles, the twitching gener-
ally with a regular rhythm, may be constant or intermittent and
may go on while the animal sleeps. One hind leg the most com-
monly affected. Often incurable in animals over two years old.
Commonly met with as a sequel of distemper. May be so slight
as to be scarcely noticeable, or so bad as to prevent animal from
walking.

Treatment.—Regular exercise in openair if possible, moderate
but nutritious diet. For animals size of fox terriers give 2 drops
Fowler’s solution twice daily for 5 days, then increase each dose 1
drop each day until 12 drops are given at each dose; continue at
this amount for 1 week, then decrease the dose 1 drop each day.
Any swelling or undue redness of the eyelids indicates the remedy
be discontinued until the eyes appear normal.

RABIES, HyYDROPHOBIA, MAD Doc.—I do not say
that there is not such a thing, but I do say that it is far
less common than generally supposed and that hundreds
of cases of mad dog are simply the manifestations of

78 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

some other disease. So great 1s the dread of hydro-
phobia that even slight derangements of the nervous
system are mistaken for rabies and the dog is shot be-
fore it can be determined what really is the matter.

I do not feel justified in saying that hydrophobia
does not exist, but I have never seen a so-called case
that could not be explained on some other view than
that of the introduction of a specific morbid virus.
Although I have taken special pains to find a clear
case of hydrophobia in the human subject, I have not
yet succeeded.

Hydrophobia in the human subject appears to be,
in most cases, a disease of the imagination. There are
doubtless cases of blood-poisoning and lockjaw, such
as may follow any wound in the flesh, caused by the
bite of a dog, but not one of these cases out of a
hundred is real hydrophobia. And whenyou hear of
a mad dog having passed through the neighborhood,
followed by a company of excited men with clubs, guns
and pitchforks, of his having been killed after biting
all the dogs he meets, of the bitten dogs having been
sacrificed in consequence, just conclude that here was
a poor dog that had lost his master and was running
to find him, running until famished and tired out, irri-
tated and angry at the cruelty shown him along the
road, and probably not a case of rabies at all. And
whatever you do, avoid joining in the mad and cruel
chase of the poor, thirsty, hunted, unhappy dog.

In case one is bitten by a dog or a cat, whether
supposed to be mad or not, the best thing you can do
is to take a few vapor baths, as hot as you can
bear them. The perspiration will eliminate any poison

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS. 79

that the bite may have introduced into your system.
Then endeavor to forget all about it. If you follow
this simple advice, the chances are incalculably great
that you will be perfectly safe.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is
communicated through the saliva of the diseased
animal whicn contains the virus or poison. It is far
more common in Europe than in this country. The
symptoms vary in different cases. First symptoms
occur in from a few days to two months or even
longer, but about six days is the most common period
of incubation, as it is termed. In the dog two well-
marked forms of rabies are recognized; namely, the
violent and the dumb form. The animal first becomes
depressed, maybe morose, does not remain long in
one place and wanders about or may hide in secluded
places. Frequently the appetite becomes depraved
at the start and the animal eats foreign bodies like
straw and litter, coal and stones, while good food
is refused. The period of depression lasts from .a
few hours to two days; then comes the stage of
excitement; voice is noticeably altered, the voice is
husky, the bark becomes a howl which is character-
istic and peculiar to this disease. The animal is now
liable to bite anything with which it comes in contact,
yet may seem conscious in certain ways and may recog-
nize a familiar voice at times. All sense of pain appears
gone; will bite the red-hot end of a poker as readily as
a stick of wood. Periods of excitement alternate with
periods of depression. During the wild period the
animal may wander great distances ; after three to five
days exhaustion becomes so pronounced the animal
feels unable to rise.

So BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The popular idea of the frothy mouth in cases of
rabies isin error. The saliva is not very profuse as
in epilepsy, but is more sticky and may hang from the
mouth in strings. There is no fear of water; the
animal will often try to drink, but is generally unable
to lap the water or to swallow it on account of the
paralysis of the tongue and throat.

In the dumb form of rabies the paralysis is de-
cidedly marked. The lower jaw hangs down as if
broken; the animal has a peculiar, haggard appear-
ance from paralysis of facial muscles. In the dumb
form death comes sooner than in the violent form.

Precautions. —Do not be too ready to handle
dogs with any of above symptoms until sure of some
explanation of the cause producing them.

Secure suspicious animals in tight enclosure. Do
not kill until sufficient time has elapsed to make intelli-
gent conclusion. Ten chances to one he was not mad,
and by confining him in some tight place where he
will be quiet and free from all excitements he will re-
cover and thus relieve the mind of the one bitten.
After he is shot it will be too late to determine what
was the matter.

DISTEMPER.—A contagious and infectious disease of the dog
and cat, usually attacking young animals and attended generally
with more or less decided and serious complications of the internal
organs and nervous system ; also with complications of the organs
of special sense, as of the eyes and ears. It may be communicated
from cats to dogs, and vice versa. Once contracted the disease
is sure to run its course and cannot be stopped by dosing with
medicines.

Symptoms.—First is noticed a period of depression, appetite
impaired, symptoms of catarrh, discharge from nose, sneezing or
cough, loss of flesh marked and rapid, temperature elevated, 103°

DISEASES OF DOGS AND CATS. SI

to 106° F., eyes discharge, weakness pronounced, bowels apt to be
either loose or constipated. In addition there may be present any
of the symptoms already mentioned under diseases of the breath-
ing or digestive organs, as well as the nervous:complications noted
under diseases of the nervous system.

Treatment.—As may be seen, the medical treatment is apt to
be very complicated. If the animal is a valuable one it is advised
that regular veterinary advice be secured in the treatment of the
disease. Good care and nursing are about all the average person
cando. Try to tempt the animal’s appetite with nutritious and
easily digested food, such as beef tea or mutton broth thickened
with rice. Thedog will frequently eat scraped raw beef thickened
with gelatin when everything else is refused. If he will not eat,
food must be forced down his throat three times a day, at least.
Beef tea with raw egg mixed with it is good for this purpose.
Place it in a quiet, warm, dry place. Many animals properly
cared for make good recoveries without any of the attendant after-
effects so much to be dreaded.

Wounpbs are of common occurrence, but as a rule heal
readily if not too extensive. The principles underlying the suc-
cessful treatment of wounds of all kinds are as
follows :

Removal of foreign material from the
wound; thorough cleansing of the wound
with water; disinfection of the wound. Clos-
ing of the wound if necessary or advisable;
bandaging in certain cases only. Applica-
tions of agents calculated to assist in healing.

In cleansing wounds a syringe is often
required. In shallow wounds it may not be required. Foreign
bodies may require special instruments for their removal ; bullets
and shot may at times be left in the animal without danger, when
the removal might be dangerous. Such cases should have care of
the surgeon.

Wounds may be disinfected by application of peroxide of hy-
drogen solution, full strength, or by creoiin or lysol solution, 3
per cent. strength. Sewing or closing the wound with thread and
needle had better be left to the experienced surgeon. Bandaging

of at least a temporary kind can be devised by any skillful per-
son.

82 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Applications to wounds are many. Avoid any kind of grease,
as it readily collects dirt and is objectionable on that account.
Peroxide of hydrogen is suitable at almost all times and situa-
tions and is not poisonous. Powdered boric acid is an excellent -
application to sores which have started to heal. It can be ap-
plied to deep sores if dissolved in clean water and syringe used.

BROKEN BoNEs heal with surprising rapidity ia both dog and
cat, even when badly crushed, if the wound be properly treated
and the bone placed in its proper position before the bandage and
splints are applied. Of course, it is always best to entrust this
kind of work to an experienced person.

To kill a dog or cat humanely, chloroform is the best method.
At best it is an unpleasant job to killa pet, and particularly so if
he has been a companion for years, but often it is a kindness to
put an old animal or a suffering one out of the way. Don’t try
poison. If the dog gets too much it will make him sick and
vomit, and in any event, to witness the pain and agony is dis-
tressing.

To kill a dog place a piece of raw cotton ina towel. Lay the
dog on his side with some one to hold him. Pour an ounce of
chloroform on the cotton and put it to the dog’s nose, with the
towel wrapped around his head to keep the airaway. You will
have to hold him steady, or in his struggles he may get his nose
away from the cotton.

To kill a cat, place it in a tight box with one ounce of good
chloroform which has been poured on a soft rag. Let it remain
five minutes or until it is perfectly quiet, then take it out and
place head downward in a bucket of water until absolutely sure
it is dead. It will be necessary to put weights on the box or the
cat will get away.

To kill a wild cat that you cannot catch, get some skilled
marksman to shoot it with a shotgun. Don’t try killing it with
single ball.

To kill young kittens, take them before their eyes are open
and put them in a bucket half full of lukewarm water. Put an-
other bucket of water as far as it will go down in the first. Never
drown kittens in the presence of their mother and always leave
her at least one.

CHAPTER XII.

PONTES. GOATS, SHEEP,-ETC,

There has been a great deal of talk of the difficulty
in keeping boys on the farm. One of the best ways
to do it is to give them some stock of their own to raise
and reap the profit from. I know of several boys who
have trained young steers, starting with them when
calves and developing them on to steady and sturdy

FAST FRIENDS.

oxen. It takes a manly boy to train a yoke of oxen,
and he may well be pleased with his success.

A lamb makes a pleasant pet when it is little, but
as it gets older it is apt to prove a nuisance. The
temptation to tease a lamb is great, and ram lambs
particularly are apt to develop butting traits which
compel their owner to banish them back to the flock

84 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

or otherwise dispose of them. If gently trained a
sheep will do the work of a goat in pulling a cart
around, and he will be equally
useful in running a little power
to churn or wash with. Bottle-
fed lambs become very tame and
will follow their foster-parents
around with the patience of a
= dog.

While a pig is not usually considered a desirable
companion, I know of nothing more pleasing than a
round, sly little grunter. The pig is not naturally a
dirty animal, and if given half a chance he will keep
himself as clean as a dog. Nor are pigs as stupid as
they are generally considered. They have capabilities
in the educational line, as is shown by the educated
trick pigs, once more common than at present. The
great disadvantage of making pets of sheep and pigs
is the fact that the butcher’s knife is usually their
’ destined end, and it makes.one feel like a cannibal to
have an animal you are attached to slaughtered and
eaten.

Goats make first-rate companions for little people,
provided they are not cross and unruly. They must
be taken and trained as kids, and must never be
teased. A cross goat can seriously hurt children
and even larger folks. Kids are not very expensive
and can usually be found in plenty in the suburbs
of all our large cities. Almost any handy boy can
rig up a suitable wagon, and there are plenty of old
straps and buckles around the stable to make a har-
ness. A boy who can manage a goat, however, soon
aspires to a pony.

FONTES GOATS. SEBEP. BE VC. 55

OUT FOR A RIDE.

Shetland, Iceland and other ponies are now raised
in this country in increasing numbers. They bring
nearly as much as the average horse, and in some
cases more; and while they are small it should be
remembered they have strength and speed, and their
management and care should not be committed to
young or inexperienced children.
For young children a donkey or Cte
burro is often more suited; he is
not apt to run away or do anything “
violent, and is patient and kind " “2-122-

=

under treatment that would send a spirited pony fly-
ing. He usually has a will of his own, however, and
when he thinks he has gone far enough he is apt to
turn around for home.

Where ponies are not available, let the boy, if he
is old enough, have a colt for his own. Let him under-

86 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

take its care, and if possible its training—notice I do
not say “breaking ’”’—and it will be one of the strong-
est ties to bind him to
the farm. Give the girl
a heifer calf and let her
have its increase, care for
Hit, milk it, set and skim
the milk, make the butter
and have every penny
she makes in this way
‘for her own. She will be a stronger, healthier young
woman, with a warm spot in her heart for the farm
and all that it contains.

ONE OF HIS FAVORITES.

THREE BEAUTIES.

CHAPTER XIII.

RABBITS.

The important points for success with rabbits are cleanliness,
dryness, plenty of fresh atr without draughts, as even a tempera-
ture as can be given, and careful feeding at regular times.—Tim.

Rabbits stand first in the atfection
of many young people. Their gentle-
ness, harmlessness and the cheapness

- of their food-supply make them particu-
larly aie for children, especially in towns and
villages. While domesticated, rabbits will show the
instincts of their wild brothers if the chance is offered
and they are allowed freedom at large; yet they stand
hutch and yard life, constant confinement, and a life
where they never touch the ground, and thrive and
multiply as well as in their natural

haunts 22 QD} j
> . THIBERSS 17
very “boy. or girl, man or aw Za |

woman, farmer or mechanic, can =I) ss

turn a good many profitable dollars ay "> —
over yearly by keeping a few rab- -it =
bits, either for market, pets, or eH)

exhibition. ie aw
Rabbits are ee Homies: Whoa
They breed when from four to six months old, producing
six to ten litters a year, and from five to twelve little ones
in a litter. It is well to destroy all over six. The breeder

88 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

who is after fine, healthy stock does not breed his does
until they are eight months old and limits them to four
litters a year, preferably two in the spring and two in
the fall. Fresh-cut hay or straw should be given the
doe for her nest a week or two before she needs it.
She will line the nest with fur from her body. The

young are born helpless and blind and are naked. In
' about a week their eyes will open; in five to seven
weeks they will leave the mother and shift for them-
selves. Clean out the nest after the young ones have
left it. When three months old the sexes should be
separated.

The proper way to lift a rabbit is to take it by the
ears with < one hand and support its body with the other

hand under it. Or, in the case of the
heavy breeds, and particularly with
young rabbits, grasp a full handful
.of the skin right over the shoulders
and hold it out from the body. A

‘i | a rabbit’s sole means of defense is to

LOP-EARED. kick with its hind legs, and a kick
from a big, vigorous buck is not to be despised. They
can usually whip a cat and give a small dog all he
cares for.

Rabbits will thrive on anything a sheep will eat,
but they like a variety. Keep nice clover or timothy
hay and oats before them all the time. Every morning
or noon give them a drink of clean, cool water. It is
cruel to deprive them of this, as some breeders do,
while if they do not get it a great many quench their
thirst by drinking their urine. Fresh clover, dock,
plantain, grass, dandelion leaves, are amongst the

RABBITS. 89

most common grasses in summer months, but avoid
feeding it with dew or rain on as you would poison;
always cut and allow it to dry out for an hour or so
until all trace of dampness has disappeared. Turnips
and carrots in winter, together with dry hay, oats,
steamed clover dried out with bran, apples, etc., make
a good ration. Cabbage and turnip-tops make foul-
smelling hutches and the leaves harbor insects. Carrots
seem to be most liked. A mash of one-third linseed
meal, with one-third wheat bran and the other corn-
meal, well mixed and salted, makes a good conditioner
and the rabbits eat it greedily. Mixit well with boilng
water until it is a crumbly mass, not sloppy, then form
into balls the size of a walnut
and give each rabbit one.

Never feed any’ more | —
green stuff or perishable food
than will be eaten up clean.
A piece of rock salt should |&
be kept in the pen constantly, E
I have heard that a nursing A FAMOUS CALIFORNIA
doe relishes and is less liable ae eee
to eat her newly-born young if a piece of fat salt pork
is given her, say two inches square.

Where young or old contemplate starting with
rabbits, I would recommend purchasing a pair of the
best to be had at a moderate price of the breed they
have selected. When the business on this small scale
has been mastered, it will be time to take up other
varieties and to widen the field.

There are a dozen or more varieties of rabbits
bred as pets. Some of them are eaten, but for my-

go BIGGLE PET BOOK.

self, I would as soon think of eating Harriet’s cat,
Solomon, as eating some pink-eyed, white-furred bunny.
Of late years Belgian and Flemish hares have been
introduced as edible varieties, and there is said to be
considerable profit in raising them for market. Those
interested should get some of the many books written
on the subject and study up.

The BELGIAN hare is a long, lithesome animal,
with a long, narrow head, and ears about five inches
long, set close together. The fore legs are about eight
inches nes the hind legs large and powerful. Their
=. eyes are hazel in color and prominent.
J a if » The color is a brownish-red or golden
Pe _. tan, with white on the belly and under
~ the tail. The legs should be free from

BELGIAN HARE
BUCK. white—in fact, the less white there

is the better. The feet should be a deep red. At
four months of age the Belgian molts his first hair and
gets a permanent coat, which is apt to grow in darker
as he gets older. As I write this there is a great craze
over the Belgian hare. Large numbers have been im-
ported at fancy prices, and numbers of people have
gone into the business of raising hares for market.
While I have had no experience in the matter, I fear
that the supposed demand for rabbit meat has been
largely overestimated. The Belgian hare will weigh
from ten to fourteen pounds. At five months they
should weigh about five pounds, and this is the right
age for dressing for market purposes.

The FLEMISH GIANT is a native of Flanders and
is extensively bred there as a meat product. It has
a large, chubby head, strong jaws, and a big mouth.

RABBITS. gl

The ears are from six to seven inches long and erect;
the eyes are dark brown;
the fur is dark steel gray
with dark ticking on the
end of each hair. They
will weigh from twelve
to fifteen pounds, having YOUNG FLEMISH GIANTS.
large shoulders and massive hind quarters with a wide
and deep body. They are fair breeders and are quite
prolific and hardy.

The Lop-EARED rabbit is a big fellow, often
weighing eighteen pounds, with long lop ears, often a
foot or more in length. For many years they were the
most popular fancy breed. By years of close breeding
and confinement they have become what might be
termed a hot-house variety. They sometimes weigh
as much as sixteen pounds and specimens of eighteen
pounds have been recorded. (See illustration, page 88.)
They come in black, white, gray, fawn, and yellow,
and combination of these colors with white. They
need a mild temperature in winter and require close
attention for successful breeding.

The HIMALAYAN rabbit is one of the most
beautifully marked; his fur
has been called ‘mock er-
mine.” He has soft, short,
white fur, with the ears, nose,
| feet and tail a dark brownish-
S| black, and pink eyes. Where

HIMALAYAN RABBITS. only one breed is kept and
another is wished for, ] recommend the Himalayan.
They are hardy and weigh from five to seven pounds.

92 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The ANGORA rabbit has long, fleecy wool. The
white ones are most popular, but there are other colors.
They weigh five to six pounds. Care should be taken
to keep them dry and clean and their wool free from
knots and dirt. This will be found to be a difficult
matter and makes this variety undesirable on this ac-
count.

The Durcu rabbit is one of the smaller varieties
and weighs five or six pounds. It is usually prolific.
They are colored as to
the lop-eared, but have
a distinctive collar of
white around the neck
and a white blaze on
the nose. The ears are
short and stand erect.
They make the best mothers and are often used as
foster-mothers for other less hardy varieties. In the
illustration the white band around the shoulders is
rather wider than is now popular with this variety.
As fashion has it now, this should cover only the neck
and toes.

The WuHirE ENGLISH or POLISH rabbit is all
white, with pink eyes. They are always popular, par-
ticularly at Easter-time, when large numbers are sold
in the city pet-stores. They are poor breeders and in-
attentive mothers and only suited as carefully tended

= ae SR

DUTCH RABBITS.

pets.

There are several other varieties sometimes to be
seen in this country, but they are so rarely seen that
no description need be given them.

CHAPTER XIV.

miei wr ehnks AND RABBIT DISEASES.

Many sudden deaths and atlments can be traced directly to
dirty hutches and feed allowed to be trampled on, then eaten.—Tim.

No matter if the stock is reared
in outdoor or indoor hutches, or pens
on the ground, provide dry quarters
and build in a spot where the sun will
not overheat, or build a double roof
on your hutches with a six- or eight-
; inch air space (open at ends) to allow
a nee circulation of air between the roofing, which in-
sures the lower roof from becoming too warm. Wet
hutches, or ones allowed to let in the storms, will cause
disease sooner or later, so that it is very essential to pro-
vide a curtain, perforated board, or some such cover for
outside hutches, to guard against the
elements. The accompanying illus-
tration of hutches will give the be-
ginner some idea of a cheap start.
Fig. 1 shows a single hutch for a doe.
A is the sliding partition. 2 is door FIG. 1.
to nesting-box. Try to give all the floor-space pos-
sible to your pets—six feet long, two feet wide, and
eighteen inches or two feet high (never less than eigh-
teen inches) gives ample room; but then, in securing
packing-cases and such, one cannot always get the de-
sired shape or size. Three feet square, or three feet

94 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

by four or five, is not unusual for dry-goods cases, and
they answer the purpose until such a time when one
=| feels confident enough and can af-
''| ford more elaborate quarters, such
h as a regular rabbitry, or stacks of
}six or eight hutches. Fig. 2 shows
, “a stack of four hutches. Two have
FIG. 2. wire netting and two wire bars.

The netting is to be preferred.

See that all floors are tight, and where one hutch
is set on another, put in a one- or two-inch block of
wood to allow the air to pass between the roof of bot-
tom and floor of top. The doors can be hinged or
buttoned in place, while stout wire bars can be stuck
in the door-frames one inch apart, or one-inch mesh
chicken wire used; the latter is cheaper, more easily
put in place, and is rat-proof. Where danger of dogs
exists, a stouter and heavier quality can be used to
resist their attacks. Never use two-inch or larger
mesh. Rats will play havoc with the young, and the
young themselves can crawl through it.

Have all water and feed tins secured in such a way
that the rabbits cannot throw them around, and so
they can be lifted out and cleaned.

LF
We
4

— AT
AC ACT
ESS

x 4
Ao
OkBuI Bm eA b

ERS

tened against wind and dogs. These 3.
hutches have wire netting for the bottoms, and in that
way are moved every day so as to give the flock fresh
grass. They are six feet long, two feet wide, one foot
ten inches high at the front and thirteen inches at the

RABBIT HUTCHES AND RABBIT DISEASES. 95

back. They can be made with a center partition or
not, as desired. With it two rabbits can be housed, or
a doe and her young, the partition being withdrawn
until the young are old enough to wean, and then re-
placed so as to separate them, and give the mother a
rest. Large rabbit hutches for raising rabbits on a
commercial scale are described in the works relating
to Belgian hare culture.

In the opening from the doe’s hutch to her nesting
compartment, never make a round hole for her to en-
ter, but make an opening from the top of hutch to
within four inches of the bottom, say eight inches wide;
that insures the doe freedom from knocking her ears,
as she would in passing through a round hole, and also
insures all foulair being carried away. Nesting boxes
can either be made by having a sliding partition, or
else by a box which can be removed when the young
commence to run around outside of their bed, and
gives them more run in their gambols.

Any one intending to go into rabbit culture in a
commercial way will, of course, study up the now very
considerable literature on the subject, particularly that
relating to the Belgian hare. Most of the books give
instructions and plans
of rabbitries.

Always avoid
handling the young |
before they are old
enough to stand it.
A rabbit’s loins are WILD RABBITS,
very tender, and any unusual pressure is apt to cause
internal trouble. See that no nails are exposed in the

96 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

hutches or sharp corners for the rabbits to hurt them-
selves on.

Wood shavings, such as are purchased and sold
for bedding horses and cattle, make a much better
bedding for rabbits than straw and hay. Sawdust
is also a good absorbent; next to that I should prefer
sand or dry road dust. All hutches should be thor-
oughly cleaned at least once a week, twice is better.

Only one doe and her young should be kept in
one pen. The buck is quarrelsome and may kill even
his own young, while the doe will also kill the young
of another.

The life of a rabbit is from six to ten yearsams
they are kept in well-ventilated, warm and dry hutches
and have a good run, so that they can have plenty of
exercise, and are supplied with the proper food they
are little liable to disease.

The common ailment is snuffles, resulting from
draughts, dampness or from poor food and a general
running down of the system. The symptoms are
sneezing, with a discharge of white matter from the
nose. It can be cured if taken in time, but if allowed to
run will affect the lungs and internal organs, then it is
hard to battle against, and generally ends in death.

Syringe the nostrils with boracie acid one part to
four of water, twice a day, and after doing so ruba
little Sanitas oil on the nostrils and legs so that the
subject inhales the odor. Care should be taken
against draughts and filth, and no green food to be
fed unless a little carrot. Sweet spirits of niter, eight
drops to a teaspoonful of water once a day, will assist
vastly.

RABBIT HUTCHES AND RABBIT DISEASES. 97

In CANKER EAr, scurf forms inside the ear and
makes the rabbit scratch the affected part and become
ill if not attended to. A simple remedy is Goulard’s
extract, olive oil and turpentine, equal parts. Remove
all scurf possible from inside of ear with a blunt
smooth stick so as not to cause too much pain, then
put in a teaspoonful of the above remedy after shak-
ing the bottle well. Hold the ears until the oil pene-
trates to the root, then release the rabbit, who will
immediately shake most of it out. Repeat once a day
for a few days and a cure is certain.

SLOBBERS, another nasty complaint, is often seen
in young and sometimes in old ones. Its symptoms
are arunning at the sides of the mouth of a watery
fluid. Give twice daily a teaspoonful of milk or
water, into which put 5 drops or ro (according to age
of rabbit) of equal parts of juniper and sweet spirits of
niter—all well mixed together. Salt water is excellent
for it, also swabbing the mouth with borax water.

When cold settles in eyes, wash twice daily with
water 2 ounces, sulphate of zinc 4 grains, or water 2
ounces, boracic acid 4 grains.

DIARRHGA or LOOSENESS.—A rabbit's excrement
should always be round, hard, dry pellets; any sign of
softness should receive prompt attention. When
diarrhoea appears place the rabbit in a dry, warm hutch,
with plenty of fresh air without draughts. Feed on
dry food, such as crushed oats, dry bran, or mix a
little oatmeal and peameal into a stiff paste. Exclude
all green foods until the looseness disappears. Arrow-
root mixed in cold water, then fed in such a quantity
that the rabbit will take from a spoon, is a splendid

98 BIGGER) PET BOOK

remedy and assists to sustain the afflicted one if it
wats or not.

Scours.—This complaint is the most deadly of
all; it is not so often seen as a common looseness of
the bowels, but is the worst form of that complaint.
If the rabbits are not taken in hand at once, scours will
kill them in a few hours. Treat the same as for diar-
rhea. Give fresh, cool water and sweet hay. The
arrowroot treatment is excellent and checks where
other remedies fail.

CONSTIPATION is not generally difficult to cure,
as it is caused by an excess of food. The rabbit is
| seen to mope in the corner of the
hutch, and refuse to eat, yet it
seems often very thirsty. Feed

“eee green food, being careful not to
BELGIAN HARE BUCE-* (cause the over. extmemter

CoLic —The animal is restless and seems in pain,
while the body is more or less distended with wind. If
this is caused by too much green food, cut off the supply
at once, but when from lack of such and water, then
feed sparingly. An English remedy is salt and water
given in the drink. It is seldom colic appears unless
from constipation.

Firs.—This is sometimes seen in both young
and old stock. The head is drawn to one side, and
the whites of eyes show a great deal, while the animal
has difficulty in walking straight, and will often go
round and round, finally falling down exhausted.
Keep the rabbit warm and give the following pills:

Sulphate of inom st. 0 ie een a) dpe
Extraction Senbian i...) sie: in meee 2 gr.
To make one pill.

RABBIT HUTCHES AND RABBIT DISEASES. 99

Give these pill tonics twice daily and feed nourish-
ingly. If it does not cure in a day or two, or no signs
for the better have appeared, it is better to kill the
rabbit, unless of- value, when a stronger remedy may
be tried: Give 4 grains of powdered camphor in 2
teaspoonfuls of tepid water every other day, if it is
necessary to give for that length of time owing to no
improvement showing. Shoulda change for the better
start about the fourth day, then give camphor every
third day until cured.

SoRE HOCck is generally caused by filthy hutches,
dampness, and sticks or slivers in their litter. Their
continual stamping prevents the wounds from healing,
while the damp filth will prove a continuous irritant.

Clean the hutch thoroughly, then whitewash, pro-
vide a good bed of hay or oat straw, wash the affected
parts in warm water, dry thoroughly, apply carbolized
vaseline; in an aggravated case put on a bandage,
being sure to sew it on, not leaving any ends for the
animal to nibble on.

When a rabbit seems inclined to sit quietly with-
out paying attention to its food, try some stimulant to
coax it. Tea leaves with the tea squeezed out, then
mixed in the oats, are very good; onions make a fine
tonic—a small one may be fed, or the greens from
young onions. Flowers of sulphur, given in a pinch
in the damped oats, often does a lot of goed. A slice
of toast sopped in lukewarm milk, just enough to
make the toast wet, will coax the appetite. Common
sweet spirits of niter, 8 drops to a teaspoonful of water
once a day, acts well on the water and assists when a
general running down is the cause of any ailment.

Tele) BIGGLE PET BOOK.

POINTERS.

Feed at regular hours, twice every day.
Don’t feed your rabbits one day and starve them the next.

Pick out rank weeds and dry thistles from the hay when
feeding.

Keep your stock cool in summer and warm in winter without
‘artificial heat.

Feed a few tea leaves in the oats every few days; rabbits like
them as a tonic.

Don’t feed any succulent food of a doubtful nature, unless you
know it is not poison.

Don’t allow dogs or cats around the hutches. Be on the look-
out for disease and rabbits off their feed.

See that all hutches are rat-proof. One-inch wire mesh will
turn all enemies and keep the little ones in.

A good stock of carrots during the cold months is a great
saving, and one of the best succulent foods.

Don’t shout or make too much noise around the rabbits; the
mothers may kill their young. Rabbits like quiet.

Give some boiled linseed meal with bran once a week; it im-
proves the rabbit’s condition and makes their coats glossy.

Talk to and pet the rabbits; they like those little attentions
and will grow to watch for you and know their feeding hours.

When any illness appears, take the rabbit at once and separate
from the others, to a good warm hutch with plenty of fresh air.

ENGLISH RABBIT WITH MIXED FAMILY

CHAPTER XV.

GUeLINeE Ace PolsG S*.

Don’t pick a guinea-pig up by the tail or its eves will drop
out.—Tim.

Guinea-pigs are harmless, stupid,
fe restless little animals with very few
y of the attractions of other pets.
They show no affection for anybody,
* and will see their young torn to pieces before,
their eyes without showing any concern. Their ad-
vantages as pets are their ability to keep themselves
clean, the fact that they are good at shifting for them-
selves, and that they are gentle and harmless for
children to handle.

The guinea-pig is about half the size of the rab-
bit, with no neck to speak of and a head somewhat
like a rat’s; their legs are short, and they have no tail.
Because they are called pigs they have the unpleas-
ant names given those animals, .
the male being called a boar Gi
and the females sows. in 4

There is an old superstition ENGLISH GUINEA-PIGS.
that rats will not come where guinea-pigs are kept,
and for this reason many pigeon and rabbit raisers
keep one or two running around their lofts. I believe
this is an error and that even this cannot be counted
as one of their virtues. Rabbits and guinea-pigs get
along amicably in the same hutch.

Guinea-pigs require about the same accommoda-
tions as rabbits, although their hutches can be smaller.

102 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

They will eat all the feeds rabbits are fond of, and as
they have unlimited appetites they will eat away as
long as there is anything in sight. The young ones
will begin at once to eat the same food as the old
ones. Guinea-pigs are particularly fond of oats and
bran.

At present there are three varieties necessary to
describe. The Common or English guinea-pig has a
smooth coat and the color is black, white, bright red-
dish brown,
yellow and
combination
of these colors.
When pigs are
marked in this
way they are
called “bro-
ken” color.

The Abyssinian cavy is pure white and also broken
colors, with pink eyes and with longer hair standing
up in irregular ridges.

The Peruvian cavy is the Angora among guinea-
pigs, his coat being extra long and silky, making this
variety appear larger, although really not heavier than
the others. The Peruvian cavy comes in some colors
not to be found in other varieties, notably a plum color
and also a straw color. They are also found in light
tan and white and broken colors; black is very rare.
This variety does not seem so greedy as the others.
As in the case of all other long-haired pets, the Peru-
vian cavy needs constant care to keep its coat free
from dirt and tangles.

HIS FAVORITES.

CHAPTER XVI.

SOUR RES, RATS “AND MICE,

Don’t try taming an old squirrel; he is
apt to be cross and never seems quite happy,
whereas a young one taken from the nest
or captured shortly after, makes an imter-
>esting and often affectionate pet. The
most common of the tribe seen in captivity is the gray
squirrel. He isa lively fellow, with bright, mischievous
eyes and a happy disposition. The red squirrel is
smaller, while the little ground squirrel,—“ ground
hackee” we called him when I was a boy, or chip-
munk,—though not often seen in captivity, is as pretty
and spry as any of them. The black squirrel is rare.
In the Southern States the flying squirrel is quite com-
mon; he sleeps in the daytime and exercises at night.
Do not try to play with him during the day.

The squirrel is so easily tamed that it seems a
shame to keep him in confinement. If he lives ina
tree near by, make his acquaintance by giving him corn
or nuts, or some other delicacy, and he will soon come
to eat from yourhand. Becareful not to frighten him,
and keep the dogs away. He will gambol over the
fences and sit and scold if his accustomed tidbit is
not forthcoming, and may even venture into your
pocket for it. I have a stick ten feet or more long,
reaching from a nearby tree to a second-story window,

104 BIGGLE, PET BOOK

and over this shaky bridge the little fellows come tum-
bling for their morning treat. In their natural state
squirrels hibernate or sleep during the winter season,
only venturing out on very warm winter days.

If you must keep your pet in captivity one of the
pleasantest cages is an unused room in the barn or
shed or woodshed. Here you can fit up a good-sized
tree with branches and a cozy box or hollow gourd for
anest. Keep the outside woodwork covered with wire
netting, or your pet will soon nibble his way out.
The floor should be covered with dry sand, and in the
corner a box of woods earth should be provided where
they can bury their nuts. The
sand should be cleaned out fre-
quently, for although the squirrel
is naturally a clean animal, his
=== quarters, if not cared for, will
soon get an unpleasant odor. For this reason it is
better to have a tin cage in case you cannot have a
room as described, and by all means have a cage with
sleeping and eating compartments and a revolving
wheel. Round and round the little captive will make
it go for an hour at a time, and it will go far towards
keeping him in good health, an amount of exercise
being absolutely necessary for the well-being of this
one of the most agile and active of animals. Have
the bottom arranged with a tray so that it can be re-
moved and easily cleaned. Provide hay, dry moss, or
raw white cotton for a nest.

Young squirrels should be fed stale bread and
milk and soaked corn; when they have reached matur-
ity give them all kinds of nuts, acorns, corn, pumpkin

SQUIRRELS, RATS AND MICE. 105

seeds, sunflower seeds, a hard biscuit once in a while.
Like other rodents, such as rats and mice, they have
two front teeth, incisors, on each jaw; these are flat
and the upper and lower ones play together like two
chisels and mutually keep each other sharp. As they
wear away by eating hard nuts, which are necessary
for them, the teeth grow out so that they are always
about the same length. If one should get broken out,
the corresponding one in the other jaw must be pulled;
otherwise not having a tooth to work against it will
grow long and soon prevent the animal from eating,
eventually starving it to death.

White mice are a little smaller than the common
brown house-mouse. They are subject to few diseases,
and many a boy has started on his petward career
with these little pink and white fellows. In addition
to white mice there are plum, fawn, and other shades,
these colors mixed with white. White mice may be
crossed with other colors of fancy mice or with the
house-mouse.

If the cage, which preferably should be of wire,
is kept clean, washed at least three times a week with
carbolic soap, and the floor kept covered with dry sand
or sawdust, or both, and renewed frequently, and they
are fed the proper food, it is said there will be none of
that mousy smell which is so disagreeable to many
people, but the great objection to mice is the difficulty
in keeping their cages clean.

Keep mice where they and their home will be dry.
This is most important. Be careful not to feed fresh
bread or fresh corn or wheat; it frequently kills them.
Give them stale biscuit or bread soaked in milk, oats

106 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

and cereals, canary seed, acorns and nuts and occa-
sionally a little hemp seed. Don’t feed meat, cheese
or cake. A stale loaf of bread put in the cage will
give them pleasure, as they will burrow all through it,
making snug little nests and passage-ways. Let it
remain two or three days, then put in another. Have
earthenware pans in which to feed, and wash them out
daily.

Mice may be bred when they are ten weeks old.
Have a separate nest for each mother, and the nest
filled with white, raw cotton. In about twelve days

a she will bring forth her
little ones, and in two
weeks they will be ready
to leave her and shift for
themselves. Put them
ee ees | in a separate cage, des-

JAPANESE RATS. troying all or part of
your mates, as they are not appreciated unless for trick
mice. They breed so prolifically, you will have to dis-
pose of your surplus stock promptly. Don’t overcrowd
your cage.

Both mice and rats are capable of being taught
many pleasing tricks, if the necessary time and pa-
tience is given to their training, and they are both
cleanly animals if they have the chance of keeping
clean.

CHAPTER XVII.

Gy Ti te. eae. TSS

An old friend in Chester County, Pa., has a pet
fox which is quite tame and which he has trained to
perform a number of tricks. He is kept chained and
has his home in a box which has no bottom but rests
on the ground. He is fed just as a dog would be, and
it is perhaps needless to add, he is eae fond of chicken.

When well fed and ;
cared for, and _ espe-
cially when young, the
raccoon or ‘‘coon”’ be-
comes thoroughly do-
mesticated and seems
to lose all desire for his
woodland home. He
will play with the chil- Be Sas =
dren, frolic with the VISITORS TO THE TAME FOX,
dogs and follow his master around everywhere. Give
him a comfortable home in a box, keg or barrel
placed in a sheltered corner of the woodshed. He will
eat anything and everything from the table and will
drink milk and coffee, too, if he can get it. A tub of
water in which he can splash and play will afford him
lots of pleasure. You will find he is intelligent and he
soon learns to pull a cork from a bottle, to open a door
and many other accomplishments. He should never
be teased. A young friend of mine had two, both of

108 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

which showed the greatest fondness for him, but hav-
ing been teased by some dogs and boys, one of them
flew at him one day and it was with difficulty that he
could defend himself from its sharp teeth and claws.
As they grow older they are apt to get savage and are
not to be trusted. They should then be either chained
up or kept in a cage, or, better yet, disposed of.

The opossum is not nearly so nimble
and interesting as the coon, but his wits
are sharp as well as his teeth, and he is full
of cunning. They sleep during the day
and prowl at night, and for this reason are
not especially attractive pets, and, too, they
: are apt to be sullen and intractable. One I
,| knew of never got over the habit of “ play-
= ing possum,” and even when his owner

THE PET grew tired of him and carried him out to
COON- the woods to let him go, he “ played pos-
sum” as he was rolled out of the basket, and lay per-
fectly still until he was sure he was quite alone, when
he scampered away. They will eat anything, meat,
vegetables, insects and fruits, and in the fall they get
fat as butter.

The best way to tie up both the coon and possum
is to put a collar round their necks and fasten this
with a light but strong chain to
a ring which slides up and down
a pole: Sit will aftord them
exercise and much amusement
climbing up and down. They THE SLY FOX.
should have a box or barrel either on the pole or at
the bottom for shelter.

OTHER PETS. fete)

Some time ago ona visit to the island of Nan-
tucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, I saw a whole
field covered with little hills and undermined with the
homes of prairie dogs that had been brought there as
nets. The prairie dog, if taken young, is a lively
little pet, fond of attention
and as tame as a kitten.
He will be happier if given
a home under the porch
where he can burrow outa
nest. His diet is entirely
a vegetable one, grass, roots, seeds and nuts. He isa
neat, clean little fellow, nice to have about the home,
and all in alla pleasant pet; only be careful, if you
have a pair of them, that they do not propagate and
overrun the dooryard or neighboring field.

The woodchuck or groundhog is sometimes tamed
and, though a clumsy and heavy fellow, he is not with-
out his good points. He lives on a vegetable diet al-
together, burrows in the ground for his home, and
sleeps during the winter’s cold. One I knew, when a
boy, had his abode in a culvert, under the road not far
from our front porch, to which he would come regu-
larly to sit up and beg for peanuts. He was an inof-
fensive fellow, and much esteemed, so that his untimely
death by a strange, big dog was mourned by all. With
the exception of the peanuts and now and then a
cracker, he found his own fare.

No pet is prettier, with his glossy black and white
coat and bushy tail, than the common skunk or pole-
cat. If the peculiar gland in which is secreted the
unpleasantly odorous fluid is removed by a veterina-

PRAIRIE DOGS.

I1O BIGGLE PET BOOK.

rian, he is almost without a fault as an interesting and
uncommon pet. Even if this gland should remain, and
he is not worried or teased, there is but little chance of
his making himself unpleasant; get a kitten, however,
don’t try taming an old one.

I have heard of one riding round in his owner’s
pocket, following him like a dog, and having great
sport catching grasshoppers when they went to walk.
He eats all kinds of insects, grubs and ground moles,
and he will keep the house clear of mice, and, by the
way, look out for the chickens, big and little.

Ferrets are hardly considered safe pets for young
folks. If not Carefully handled when young, they are
cross and of uncertain temper.
They are kept mainly by profes-
sional ratkillers, who use them
to drive rats out of infested
buildings. The ferret’s body is
very long and slim, so that he
can slip in and through the rat-
Go| holes and runways. A pair of

Two PRETTY pets. _ ferrets will clear out a barn in
short order, the rats scenting danger and flying in
every direction. They will kill every rat they can
catch.

It is sometimes difficult to recover the ferret, as he
will gorge himself with blood, and then, getting slug-
gish, will seek some quiet place for a nap and rest.
Ferrets will live in a box, with proper slats, and should
be fed, morning and evening, on bread and milk, with
fresh meat occasionally.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PIGEONS.

Pigeons, as pets, are desirable for
several reasons. There are many varieties,
having quite distinct marks and character-
istics, which afford a wide range for choice
= to suit different tastes. They appear to

have greater intelligence than other birds,
and in many respects have habits and traits that are
very human. If their owner is of an acquisitive turn
it is possible at any time to convert the birds into cash
in hand.

The old saying, ‘‘ Be sure to have your cage ready
before you catch your bird,” applies here. The
“aviary,” org oT
“fort? is: the
first thing to
consider when
about to begin
the keeping of WHITE OWLS.
pigeons. The common practice of nailing boxes for
these birds on the outside walls of barns and other
outbuildings is not to be commended, as it gives the
buildings an untidy appearance and the birds have at
best a poor home and shelter. In such quarters they
suffer great hardships in cold and stormy weather and
are subject to the depredations of small owls. If left
at liberty, as they must be in such cases, they fall a

112 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

prey to hawks and pot-hunters, and will do much dams
age in neighboring fields and gardens.

If an existing structure must be used, it is advis-
able to make a loft on the inside of the outer wall of
such building, to which access can be gained at all
times from the interior, holes being made in the wall
with alighting boards at the bottom for the exit and
entrance of the birds. An apartment six feet long, six
feet high and four feet wide will readily accommodate

PIGEON HOUSE WITH OUTSIDE CAGE DIVIDED INTO
COMPARTMENTS.

six pairs of birds. If they have their liberty, twice the
number can be housed in such a loft. If they are to
be confined a part or all of the time, an outside cage
or fly, fully as large or larger, should be constructed
on the outside of the building. This may be made of
light timbers, and covered with poultry netting. Need-
less to say, it should be neatly constructed, so that it
will not disfigure the building, and it will be well to
have a floor in it, and aroof over half of it, and numer-
ous perches, so that the birds can enjoy the air and
exercise without too much exposure. If a carpenter
were to build this loft and fly at the same time, he

PIGEONS. 113

would be likely to extend the floor timbers of both
through the wall, bracing them on the inside, thus
avoiding the need for outside braces.

On many accounts it is better to have the loft en-
tirely separate from poultry houses, barns or any other
building. The house illustrated in my Poultry Book,
which is copied here and which was designed for squab
breeding, can be reduced in size to adapt it to the re-
quirements of any flock however small.

The cut represents a loft
eight by sixteen feet, with
an outside fly of the same uu
dimensions, making the en- Jail
tire building sixteen feet i rs
square. The corner posts
are eight feet. It is intended to accommodate from
forty to fifty pairs. In building it, posts are set firmly
in the ground, extending two feet above, pans inverted
over them to keep out rats and mice, and the sills
nailed to the posts.

For a few pairs a small ornamental loft may be
elevated on poles eight or ten feet above the ground,
and a ladder used to gain access to it.

Pigeons breed in pairs, and once mated usually re-
main faithful to each other till death. Unmated birds
of either sex may by their coquetry and intrigue break
up the union and cause trouble. Care must therefore
be taken to remove all unmated birds as soon as dis-
covered.

Breeding in pairs as they do, a home must be pro-
vided for each family. To this home they become
greatly attached, and the males will fight desperately

rite

114 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

to keep it free from all intruders. In the height of
the breeding season the hen will lay a second nest of
eggs before the young ones
are able to fly. For this reason
two boxes, or two apartments,
should be provided for each
pair. These two apartments
must be separated so that the
young birds cannot get from
one to the other, since they
SWALLOWS. will, when hungry, seek the
parents while on the new nest and injure the eggs. A
common method of providing nests is to build shelves
on the side wall of the loft and divide these by partitions
into alcoves and in these set earthen nest pans made
expressly for pigeons and for sale at bird stores and
by seedsmen. A cheaper way is to use small
store boxes in place of the earthen pans.
Fig. 1 shows a box containing a single nest
so made that the birds cannot perch onit. FIG.1.
Two of these would be needed for
| each pair and should be placed ad-
| jacent. The shelves may be dispensed
with, and double nests made from store
DOUBLE PIGEON boxes may be hung directly on the walls
NEST MADE OUT
oF soap Box. by means of hooks or nails.
For supplying water the common stone
automatic fountains are satisfactory. This
should be set on a small box or shelf and
not on the floor. Pigeons are heavy drinkers,
especially in the breeding season, and a_ bountiful
supply of clean water should be provided at all times.

PIGEONS. 115

Like other birds, they take great pleasure in bathing,
and if allowed to do so, will take a bath every day.
This may be permitted in summer, but in winter
it is well to restrict them to two baths a week. A
shallow pan containing three or four inches of water
will serve for a bathtub. It should be placed out in
the fly and removed as soon as the birds have used it.

Open feed-troughs in a loft are quite as objection-
able as open water vessels. The feed in them becomes
foul and much of it is wasted. The
self-feeding hopper shown in_ the
accompanying illustration is one of
the best that can be found. These
hoppers can be made of starch or soap boxes, by any
one handy with tools. The lid should be broad enough
to cover completely the feed trough at the sides,
and these troughs should be just broad enough to
allow the birds to feed without permitting them to
get in with their feet.

The floor of the loft should be kept reasonably
clean and be strewn occasionally with fresh sand and
gravel. Red gravel is the best, as it contains iron, the
oxide of iron giving it its peculiar color. Pigeons will
peck at clay and coal ashes, and also at weeds and
grasses. They use these substances, probably, for medi-
cinal purposes, as dogs eat grass and cats eat catnip.

The natural food of pigeons is grain and the seeds
of grasses. They are fond of millet, clover seed and
peas, and if allowed to fly when these crops are sown
will prove very destructive. Hemp seed is to pigeons
what candy is to children. A little may be given them
on entering the loft to tame them.

116 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

For a steady diet the following is commended: Two
parts whole corn, two parts wheat and one part buck-
wheat, all to be old, sound grain. Screenings to be
economical should be purchased for one-fifth the price
of good wheat. New grain is not good for the squabs.
The corn should be a variety having small grains
and should in no case be cracked.

In order to supply feed for the very young squabs
it is well to keep equal parts of bran and cornmeal
in self-feeding hoppers always before the
breeders. Experience has proved that
= the old ones feed with greater regularity
<2 and fatten their young better when the

JAcoBIN. — whole grain is supplied at regular hours,
three times a day, all they will eat up clean. They
will not eat grain that is fouled, if they can avoid it,
and should not be compelled to do so.

For side dishes they should have ground oyster-
shells ina box or barrel lid where they can help them-
selves, and a bit of salt codfish tacked to the side of the
loft by several nails, so they can peck at it, but not
tear itdown. Instead of the salt fish, a big lump of
rock salt may be placed in a box on the floor of the
loft. They are very fond of salt, and when furnished
in this way cannot get more than is good for them.

The female pigeon lays two eggs and then both
birds assist in hatching them. The hen sits all night
and until about nine o’clock in the morning ; the cock
sits until about four o’clock in the afternoon. Both
assist in feeding the squabs. If the hen lays again be-
fore the first brood is out of the nest, the cock will
usually take entire charge of the young, besides doing

PIGEONS. nz

his share of incubation. The two eggs will usually
hatch one male and one female.

Pigeon eggs hatch in sixteen or eighteen days.
After the first few days the young ones grow with
wonderful rapidity if the parents are supplied with
proper food and do their duty.

A well-managed flock will raise, on an average,
five pairs of squabs annually for every pair of birds it
contains.

Pigeons in confinement require regular attention
and intelligent care in order to do their best. They

COMMON WHITE PIGEONS IN OUTSIDE PEN MADE OF
WIRE NETTING.

should be fed and watered at stated hours every day.
All quick and violent motions by the attendant should
be avoided. If a bird is to be caught it should be
done in such a way as not to throw the whole flock
into a tumult. Every possible means should be taken
to tame the birds so that they may be pets in deed as
well as in name.

Filth, lice and disease will always mar, to some
extent, the pleasure of the pigeon keeper. To avoid
the first, one perch should not be placed over another,

118 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

or birds will soil each other’s plumage. Sawdust or
sand, or both, should be freely used on the loft floor.
The young need absorbents in their nests, and for this
purpose sawdust or short cut hay may be used. While
it is not in accordance with the usual advice found in
books on pigeons, | do not think it advisable to clean
nest box each time after the young ones have deserted it.
Sprinkle well with insect powder, cover with absorbent
and allow the parents to raise a second or even a third
pair in it before cleaning. Never use in nests yellow
pine or any other kind of sawdust that is full of resin.
It should always be from seasoned lumber. Fine
planer shavings is even better than sawdust.

The long pigeon louse torments the birds more or
less at all seasons. They relieve themselves of these
pests to a certain ex-
tent by the water bath,
as fowls do by the dust
bath. They may be
aided in this matter by
|the free use of insect
=) powder (finely ground

oe M|pyrethrum roseum

JACOBINS. flowers and _ leaves).

It may be dusted in and on their nest boxes and

blown in the loft through a dry powder

gun while the birds are flying about. The

red mites and other kinds of lice that

infest poultry quarters sometimes get
into the loft. These may be fought TUMBLER.

successfully with hot salted lime-wash, kerosene oil

and insect powder combined. Fine stems of tobacco,

PIGEONS. 119

cut about six inches long, will help to keep lice out of
the nest boxes.

Pigeons are subject to many diseases common to
the feathered tribe. The keeper succeeds best who does
his best to avoid the cause of disease. Some of the
fancy varieties are rather tender and must be treated
accordingly.' In all cases draughts of air through
cracks in the loft must be avoided, particularly when
they strike birds on their perches at night. To avoid
indigestion the feeding must be regular, and certain
articles for which pigeons have a special liking, such
as salt, hemp seed, peas, etc., should never be supplied
in large quantities at one time, especially if they have
been withheld for a considerable time. If they are not
limited in quantity they will gorge themselves, with
serious results.

Birds sometimes lose the power of flight. This
may be due to a blow on the wing, but is frequently
due to a scrofulous swelling of the joints. Such birds
should be disposed of and never allowed to breed. It
is rarely worth while to
give such cases medical
treatment.

What is called “ go-
ing-light” causes more
loss to the keeper of fancy
pigeons than any other
disease. This wasting
away may be due in many
instances to old age.
When this is not the case it is in all probability a
tubercular affection attacking in one case the bowels,

POUTERS.

120 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

in another the lungs or the liver. It is advisable to
remove such birds from the loft at once, as soon as the
nature of their complaint is discovered.

The squabs are often affected with cankerous
growth in the mouth and throat. If the parents are
fed and watered as previously advised there will be
little trouble from this complaint. Should the birds
be valuable it may be worth while to make an effort
to save them by removing the yellow cheesy matter
by the use of a quill and applying burnt alum to the
sores.

The choice of varieties is a matter of taste. For
the novice it is best on some accounts to begin with
the common pigeon, or at least with a variety that is
hardy and requires no extra manipulation or care to
rear, and no special skill to breed.

One of the hardiest of the family of fancy birds is
the present race of Homers, or Antwerp Carriers. They
are very strong flyers, and can .
be trained to find their home
when liberated when several
hundred miles distant from it.

The Magpie is a popular
» variety among those who keep
pigeons for pets. It is thought

ANTWERP OR HOMING — to be of Tumbler origin. The
PIGEONS. : . : .
plumage is pied, like the bird
from which it takes its name.

Archangels are very striking in appearance. Their
plumage is a beautiful. mixture of black, white and
copper-bronze with a bright metallic luster.

Nuns are beautiful birds, having trim, neat bodies

PIGEONS. 12!

and handsome plumage; the most popular marking
being a white body with black head and black tail and
flight feathers.

For aristocratic carriage and make-up, no variety
excels the Pouter. They are distinguished by their
peculiar habit of expanding the cesophagus to enorm-
ous proportions at their pleasure. (See illustration on
page 119.) The English Pouter is a large bird, but.
there is a small variety called Pigmy Pouters.

Jacobins are small fancy pigeons marked by re-
curved feathers on the back of head and neck, forming”
a hood, and giving them a very unique appearance.
See illustration on page 118.

Turbits have a crest on the head and a frill on
the breast; Owls lack the crest, but otherwise are much
like them. (See illus-
tration on page 111.)
In this class are Tur-
biteens, Satinettes,
and Blondinettes.

The Tumbler is SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS.
an interesting variety that should not be overlooked in
making aselection. It is named from
its habit of tumbling while on the
wing. There is one kind, called In-
side or Parlor Tumblers, that can
dh scarcely rise above the ground with-

== out performing a somersault.

One of the first to attract the
attention of a youth or beginner is.
the Fantail, the white being the most striking in ap-
pearance.

122 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Runts are very large birds, resembling in shape
and color the common barn pigeon. They are not good
breeders, but are sometimes used to cross on common
and Homing pigeons to increase the size when rearing
squabs for market.

This list includes only the most familiar, and omits
a large number of less-known varieties.

The usual method of training Homers is to take
the young birds, after they are thoroughly familiar
with their neighborhood, about a half mile from home
and release them all at one time. This should be done
on a clear day, in the morning, before feeding time.
They will immediately seek their loft. The next day go
as far in the opposite direction. Keep this up, gradually
increasing the distance. Many birds are lost in train-
ing, but the weakest and poorest are thus weeded out.

In starting a loft of Homers it is necessary to be-

gin with young birds, as old ones will immediately seek
their old home. Homers should not be allowed to fly
free except on an empty stomach.
They will then seek their loft with
a keen appetite.
In lofts where Homers are
imait—j| trained there should be a small
area or cage at the entrance, either
outside or inside, so arranged that the birds can enter
easily, but cannot escape until liberated. The usual
method of doing this is by the use of bent wires hung
loosely in staples driven into the top of entrance.
The bird soon learns to push them inward as it enters,
but a lath across the bottom prevents their swinging
outward. The contrivance is illustrated by the cut.

CHAPTER XIX.

BANTAMS.

Bantams are the pigmies of the poultry yard.
Nearly all varieties of fowls recognized by poultrymen
have their dwarf counterparts. In recent years the
breeding of these diminutive fowls has become a popu-
lar pastime, and, incidentally, helped to expand the
pocketbooks of those who have offered choice stock
for sale.

Bantams are well suited for pets. They are small
and appeal to the sympathies [¥
and affections of their owners;
they require only inexpensive |
houses and yards, and if left to
run at large do little damage. The
love of the beautiful is satisfied,
also, in their rich and _ hand-
somely marked plumage and LIGHT BRAHMA BANTAMS.
graceful shapes. In the matter of profit they compare
favorably with their larger relatives. A bantam hen
of any given variety will lay about the same number of
eggs as a hen of the corresponding larger breed, and
in most cases the eggs of the bantam will be larger in
proportion to her weight of body than those of the
iarger hen.

Houses for bantams may be very plain and inex-
pensive or elaborate and costly to suit their owner’s
taste and purse. Large dry-goods boxes can easily be

124 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

reconstructed in such a way as to accommodate a
small flock. The illustration shows a portable house
made in this way. The netting door
is divided so that the top of it may
be opened by the attendant, and feed

Ee ES and water put in the run without

BANTAM HOUSE. entering or letting the chicks out.
The whole structure should be made so that it can
easily be moved about by two persons of ordinary
strength.

The usual poultry house models may be cut down
in size to adapt them to their smaller occupants. But
in all cases where the soil of the locality is not dry and
porous it is well to have board floors in the house and
to elevate the floor a foot or more above the ground.
The space underneath, if properly enclosed, may be
used as a winter or rainy-day run for the birds.

A neat, cheap and practical house, owned by a
young and successful bantam breeder, is illustrated
on this page. In dimen-
sions it is three by six
feet on the ground, three
feet high in the rear and
thirty inches in the front.
Ehe floor is twelve
inches from the ground
and the Space under-*,:
neath is used for a run.
The illustration shows BANTAM HOUSE.
how the birds gain an PAIR BUFF COCHIN BANTAMS.
entrance. The owner has access through doors and
windows in the rear wall. The house is divided in the

BANTAMS. 125

middle and thus adapted to the use of two breeding
pens. The nests are so located at the back that they
can be reached with the arm without having to enter the
house. Coops for bantam chicks should also have board
floors covered with dry earth or short litter, as they are
somewhat less hardy than their larger cousins, and
dampness is one of their worst enemies. Filth is an-
other foe to guard against. Their houses and coops
must be kept clean if they are to be kept healthy, and
their owner is to take pride and find pleasure in his pets.
Lice, too, are deadly foes to these little birds. But as
they are small and easily tamed and therefore easy to
handle, there is no excuse for permitting these pests
of the poultry tribe to get the upper hand.

The food that is best for bantams is the same as
that required to keep ordinary fowls in good health
and condition. They are omnivorous, eating almost
anything that man or animal will eat and some others
in addition. For their best development they should
have bulky food like grass, cut hay, and vegetables,
besides grain and animal food. It is a good practice
to feed all their food in a dry state so far as possible,
and avoid sloppy messes. Like other birds, their food
is ground fine in the gizzard. They must therefore
have grit in the form of ground shells, granulated rock,
or common gravel. All these things must be fed in
form and quantities suited to the size of the bird. It
is needless to say that water is a necessity for these
pets, but it should be said that pure, clean water is
more important for them than for ordinary fowls.

Breeders of bantams aim to keep them as small in
size as possible. Their weight should be about one-

126 BIGGLE PET BOOK. ,

fifth that of standard fowls, and if smaller, so much
the better. If perfect in form they are rarely ‘ever
too small to suit the owner or exhibitor.

In breeding bantams with a view to keeping down
their size, the smallest specimens, provided they are
healthy and perfect in form, should always be chosen
for breeders. And by smallest is not meant the hght-
est in weight, but such as have small frames, although
they may be plump and hearty. It is commonly sup-
posed that bantams are reduced in size by a starvation
process, but this is not the case. In rearing the chicks

CORNER OF A BANTAM FARM.

#7 Heft

it is wise to feed generously and keep them growing
thriftily until matured. By this method of rearing
some birds will be overgrown, but the smaller ones
will be of better shape and have better plumage, and
be healthier than those grown by the starvation plan.

The early maturing birds of a flock will generally
be found to be the finest in bone and to have the small-
est frame, and these are the ones to select for breeding,
especially from the broods hatched in May and June.
It is not advisable to hatch earlier than May, at least
not until variable spring weather has passed.

BANTAMS. 127

As maturity can be hastened by natural condi-
tions, the plan of hatching a part of the chicks in
August and September a,
may be wisely adopted.
Birds hatched at this
time are usually caught -
by the cool weather of '
autumn before they are WHITE COCHIN BANTAMS.
fully feathered, and their growth is checked and ma-
turity hastened in consequence. From these late
hatches some of the best breeders for the next season
will be obtained. It should be known, however, that
the few eggs obtainable so late in the season are not
as fertile as spring-laid eggs, and the young birds
must have extra good care to pull them through the
winter.

To fix the dwarf habit of growth and fancy mark-
ings, bantam experts freely resort to inbreeding.
Healthy stock will not be injured by this means, but
it is well to draw the line at brothers and sisters and
not breed from them.

The breeds of bantams recognized in the “Ameri-
can Standard” number fourteen, not including the
Game. These are grouped in six classes: Seabrights,
Rose-Combed, Booted, Cochin, Japanese and Polish.

Seabrights are the oldest and best known of all
and are subdivided by the color of their plumage into
Golden and Silver Seabrights. A cock of this variety
is shown on the extreme left of the group on next page.
They have hen tails, that is, there is an absence of the
usual sickle feathers.

Rose-Comb Bantams may be regarded as dwarfs

128 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

of the Hamburg fowls. A specimen of the black
variety is illustrated in the bird on the left of the tin-
cup shown in the group. There is also a white variety
of Rose-Comb.

A black-tailed, white Japanese cock is shown in
the left center of the group. There are pure whites,
pure blacks, and various other shades of these pretty
little birds.

FIVE LEADING VARIETIES OF BANTAMS.

Of the Cochins, there are Buffs, shown at the right
of the group, the Whites, the Blacks, and the Partridge
Cochins. These all follow the markings of the larger
birds. See illustration on page 127.

Of the Game class, the Black-Breasted Red is
the most common and popuiar. A specimen.cock is
shown, perehed on the edge of a pint-cup in the group.
They are beautiful and stylish little pets, and put on
all the pugnacious airs of their fighting relatives.

CHAPTER XX.

Ce AoNAgk Lie S:

Of the dozen or more varieties of canaries that
breed in the Hartz Mountains of Germany, is usually
seen in this country a bright, cheery, happy little yellow
fellow, which, except when he is molting or sick, is in
constant song. The exceliency of his song is largely a
matter of early education and training. The breeders
place the young birds in a darkened room where they
can hear some superior singer in an adjoining room,
and often they are further instructed with the flute or
other musical instrument. s

Notwithstanding canaries have been bred 4
in close confinement for many generations,
they are an unusually healthy bird, and dis-
ease is nearly always the result of neglect or misman-
agement. I give below six rules, which, if faithfully
followed, should keep a bird in perfect health and
song.

Keep the cage and all its appurtenances scrupu-
lously clean. The perches when washed should be
thoroughly dried before they are returned to the cage.

Keep fresh, pure water always before the bird.

Keep the bird out of draughts and in a room with
an even temperature. A room highly heated in the
daytime and cold at night is no place for a canary.
Don’t keep him in the kitchen; the steam is bad for
him.

130 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Keep the bottom of the cage sprinkled with sand
or gravel.

Keep a cuttlefish where the bird can get at it.

Keep sugar, candy, figs, cakes and other delica-
cies away from the cage.

Feed a mixture composed of an equal quantity of
canary seed, rape seed and millet. The best canary
seed comes from Sicily. It should be bright and shiny
and free from worms. Rape seed comes from Ger-
many, while millet is grown in this country. This
mixture should be the foundation for all feeding, but
it is good to feed occasionally green stuffs like let-
tuce, cabbage, sweet apple, chickweed, watercress,
marigold flowers, weed seeds, which the bird seems to
relish, a head of ripened millet or clover, a hemp seed
or two very occasionally, and for young birds and
birds molting, egg paste is stimulating and strength-
ening. It is made as follows: Boil an egg one-half
hour; then rub it down with a spoon until it is smooth;
add an equal quantity of stale cracker or toast crumbs
with a teaspoonful of pure cayenne pepper. Birds in
full song do not require this food, but it might be
given once a week, and it should form the principal
food of young birds until they are able to crack
canary and other seed.

Usually in the latter part of August your bird
will begin to molt. It is nature’s way of renewing his
coat and getting ready for winter. It will last from
_four to six weeks, and birds rarely sing during this
period. The danger is in catching cold. The bird
should be fed generously during this trying period.
The egg paste will be good for him, as well as grated

CANARIES. 131

beet and carrot, with other green foods, and a little
hemp seed will do no harm.

While birds in their natural state are particularly
free from disease, in captivity they are subject to
complaints caused by their confinement and improper
care and food. I give here some of the most frequent
troubles, with the symptom and simple remedy.

Diarrhcea is a common complaint, manifested by
the watery condition of the droppings. Avoid green
foods, keep the cage clean and the bird warm (70
degrees) and dry; put a rusty nail in the drinking
water. Give the bird a lump of chalk to peck at, and
feed the egg and cracker food without the pepper.

Asthma is usually the result of cold. The bird
opens its beak and gasps for air. It wheezes and
puffs itself out like a ball. Change the food. Give
warm bread and milk every morning, with green foods
twice a week, and hang a piece of raw salt pork covered
with cayenne pepper in the cage.

Loss of voice is usually caused by overfeeding, a
cold or too much singing. Try the raw bacon covered
with cayenne pepper; also feed the egg paste, doub-
ling the quantity of red pepper.

Constipation can best be relieved by feeding
green foods more frequently. In continued cases put
two or three drops of castor oil in the bird’s mouth.
Apoplexy is caused by too rich food. The bird may
drop from the perch and appear as dead, in fact it
may be dead. Try sprinkling with cold water to
revive, then change the food.

If scale appears on the legs rub the feet and legs
with a mixture of kerosene and olive oil. Look out

132 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

for lice. If a white cloth is thrown over the cage at
night, you may find in the morning many tiny red in-
sects. Dust Persian powder all over the cage and
through the feathers of the bird.

Bare places on the head should be rubbed with a
salve made of butter and sulphur.

Catarrh and colds are indicated by a ruffling of
the feathers; beak often open and nostrils stopped up,
under side of tongue becomes hardened. Keep out of
draughts and feed the egg paste and increase the
green foods.

Pulling the feathers may be caused by too rich
food, which causes an irritation of the skin. Feed a
plain diet.

I have often wondered why women who wanted
work at home and young people who were fond of pets
did not raise canaries. While it takes care and atten-
tion, as does everything else which is profitable, it is
easily within the capabilities of almost everyone. In
parts of Europe many households are engaged in rais-
ing and caring for these birds. It is said that con-
siderably over one hundred thousand are imported into
this country every year. One pair of canaries will
raise several broods each year if permitted to do so.
They should not be allowed to raise more than three
hatches. Start with the very best stock you can
afford; that is, the male a fine singer and the female z
good color. The breeding cage should be at least ten
inches wide by sixteen long and as many high. The
bottom should have a drawer to hold the sand and
gravel. Don’t let the lice get a foothold, and they can-
not do so if the cage is kept scrupulously clean. Place

CANARIES. 133

the cage where it is to remain permanently, strictly out
of all draughts, and preferably against the wall, witha
sunny, cheerful outlook, and about seven feet high.
Provide pieces of old mortar or ground oyster shells
as material for the new egg shells. Half of a cocoanut
shell makes a good nest, while raw cotton answers for
the nest lining, but bird dealers sell packages of deer’s
hair for this purpose. Let the male hang in an ad-
joining cage until the birds are acquainted, then place
him in the breeding cage. In a week after mating the
hen will lay a small green egg, usually in the morning,
and one each succeeding day until she sometimes has
six. The first egg will hatch in thirteen days, and
then one each day as they were laid. The female will
do most of the incubation; the male may help occa-
sionally. Don’t bother the birds by displaying too
much curiosity, particularly after the young are
hatched.

One of the best feeds for the parent birds while
they are mating and sitting and rearing their brood is
the egg paste mentioned above, together with green
foods. It is also excellent for the young birds. When
the latter leave the nest put them in a separate cage,
and preferably in a separate room, and feed the egg
paste and also canary and rape seed soaked in warm
water. Cornmeal mixed with hard-boiled egg is also
recommended. The young males will soon try to sing,
and when three months old their education should com-
mence. While canaries sing naturally, the superior
excellence of their song is partly a matter of training.

All birds in their natural state are usually free
from disease.

134 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

Feed plain foods.

Give the bird a bath every day, except when molt-
ing, when he will refuse it.

Perches for a canary should never be less than
seven-sixteenths of an inch in diameter.

Feed liberally ; underfed birds may eat their eggs.
Don’t let old food accumulate; what is not eaten,
throw out.

To catch a bird throw a handkerchief over it.
Hold it very gently. Its bones are fine and small and
easily broken.

The bird’s claws should not get too long; hold
him gently in the left hand, and with a sharp pair of
scissors cut off the extra growth. Hold the toe up to
the light so that you can see how far down the veins
come. Be careful not to cut these.

BIRDS, KEEP AWAY!

CHAPTER XXI.

OTHER BIRDS:

“ The secret of success with caged birds ts to keep the water
Jresh and pure, and the cage and perches scrupulously clean.”

My feeling about our native birds is
that it is much better to make friends of
them than caged pets. When I see some
naturally happy and cheerful bird, like the
cardinal, losing the brilliancy of its eye
and plumage, and hopping incessantly back and forth
in a narrow cage, I always feel like opening the door
and letting it go.

We like to make friends with the birds at Elm-
wood, to have them about the house and yard, and it is
astounding how many there are when one knows when
and where to look for them. I have
counted as many assixty different
varieties in the course of a year
around Elmwood. Years ago, I ee
had a big martin box built, with * 3...
some thirty compartments in it,
and every year since they have
occupied it, coming about April
15th, and leaving when their brood is raised. What
thousands of insects they eat in the course of the sum-
mer! Then we have wren boxes around, in the trees
and on the porch-posts, and a box for the bluebirds.
We have swallows at the barn and under the smoke-
house eaves, with orioles, catbirds, song-sparrows,

136 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

flickers, flycatchers, thrushes, kingbirds, goldfinches,
scarlet tanagers and many others, in the shrubbery
and near-by woods. No one is allowed to disturb or
frighten them.

I believe every boy and girl will get far more
pleasure in locating the haunts of these feathered
songsters, observing their different characteristics of
flight and nest-building, and learning their natural
songs and notes, than in keeping them behind prison
bars. But if you must have a bird for a cage pet get
it while it is young, just as it is about to leave the
nest. An old bird, ten chances to one, will not sing, but
will mope and pine for the freedom that once was his.

Song birds as pets may.be roughly divided into
two classes—those which have hard bills, like the
Canary and Kentucky Cardinal, whose food is mainly
seeds, grain, etc., and the long-billed birds, which eat
mainly insects, worms, fruits and berries, of which the
Mocking Bird is the type. Of our native seed-eating
birds, sometimes seen caged, and valued both for
their song and the beauty of their plumage, are the
Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting, Bobolink or Reedbird,
Cardinal Grosbeak or Kentucky Cardinal, Rose-
Breasted Grosbeak (one of the most beautiful of birds),
and the Nonpareil or Painted Bunting, a feathered
beauty from the Southern States. These are all fed
substantially as the canary, but to the fare of the
larger birds should be added sunflower seeds, unhulled
rice, ripe fruit and berries, and a meal bug occasion-
ally. The egg paste mentioned in the last chapter is
relished by almost all birds.

The native insect-eating ‘‘soft-billed” birds

OTHER BIRDS. 137

usually kept and sold by bird dealers are the Mocking
Bird, Brown Thrasher or Brown Thrush, ae
Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole,
Orchard Oriole, Robin, etc. These |
are more difficult to care for and |
keep in health, for they must have §
food, prepared. so as “to closely re- jog app AND
semble their natural insect diet. CAGE.

Food for-seft-billed birds is put up and sold by bird
stores under the name of mocking-bird food. There
are various recipes for making this at home. A
good one is as follows: One beef heart, cooked
until it is thoroughly tender, the yolks of one dozen
eggs, boiled for half an hour, one pound of water
crackers; grate all until they are fine. Add to this
one pound of split peas and one pound of hemp seed
ground fine in an ordinary coffee mill. Thoroughly
mix and add one-half pound of maw meal. A small
quantity of fresh lard may be added to keep it
moist. Put away in air-tight glass jars. When fed to
mocking birds, this should be mixed with an equal
quantity of grated raw carrot or mealy potatoes.
Green food, as lettuce, chickweed, watercress, ripe
berries, raisins, bits of apple, or even grass, will be
relished, and meal bugs, insects, grasshoppers, spiders
and ant eggs, which can be obtained of most bird
dealers, are appreciated delicacies. Lean meat cut in
thin strips like worms will be relished and may be fed
in limited amounts. In their natural state these birds
are all insect eaters, and this is one reason | deplore
their being made captives. Our orchards and gardens
need them so badly.

138 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

The diseases of caged birds are mainly due to
neglect or improper food. It is far easier to keep
them well than to cure them when sick. Constipation
may be relieved by feeding fresh green stuff, insects
and meal worms for a few days. For diarrhoea, caused
probably by spoiled food or impure water, a change of
diet is usually beneficial. A rusty nail placed in the
drinking water is said to be a cure. Give plenty of
good, pure water for drink and for the daily bath, feed
intelligently, keep out of draughts, and above all, keep
the cage clean and you will be reasonably sure of suc-
cess.

Parrots, one of the longest-lived pets, have been
known to live a hundred years or
more. There are over three hun-
dred and fifty species, but com-
paratively few are desirable as
cage pets or capable of talking.
Be sure to buy a young bird—
one that has been in captivity
since leaving the nest. The va-
riety to get is a matter of fancy
and price. It is said parrots learn
‘to talk better when confined in a

cage than when allowed the free-
dom of the house or chained to a perch. Have the
cage amply large. A round cage, twelve inches in
diameter, will do for a small parrot, but sixteen inches
is the proper size for a large bird.

Parrots are said to learn much quicker from a
woman’s voice. Having won the confidence of the
bird by kind treatment, slow and gentle motions

TWO FRIENDS.

OTHER BIRDS. 139

about the cage, give the talking lesson late in the
afternoon. Cover the cage with a cloth so that the
attention of the bird will not be distracted; pronounce
the words quietly and distinctly and make them glide
into each other, making the sentence as smooth as
possible. Never split a parrot’s tongue; it is cruel
and unnecessary ; in fact, it often prevents them from
articulating distinctly.

Keep plenty of sand and gravel in the cage. Give
a plain diet with meat; fresh bread and greasy foods
absolutely prohibited. Give cracked corn, sunflower
seeds, a little hemp with one soft feed a day, consist-
ing of stale bread soaked in milk, or rice which has
had boiling water poured over it. Leave on the stove
for ten minutes, then place in colander and pour cold
water over. Hard-boiled eggs mixed with bread, a
few peanuts, ripe fruit in moderation, a mealy potato,
pieces of dry toast and Polly’s cracker are all admissi-
ble.

Diarrhoea is the most common complaint. Put
the parrot in a warm place. Give plain food, avoid
water, fruits and green stuff. In severe cases, put
four drops of paregoric in a teaspoonful of boiled
milk; give this dose every three hours. A rusty nail
in the drinking water acts as a precaution. For con-
stipation, give five drops of castor oil with an equal
amount of honey, twice a day. Anoint the vent with
oil also. Constipation is apt to produce fits. Dip the
bird in cold water to revive it. For asthma cut off the
heating foods. If very ill give a paste made of boiled
milk and flour with cayenne pepper. Keep bird ina
warm place.

140 « BIGGLE PET BOOK.

If the bird eats its feathers, it is in too smalla
cage, or the cage is not clean, or you have been feed-
ing meat or greasy foods, or too much hemp seed.
Give crushed corn, sunflower seed or padar. Give
the bird cuttle fish and an ear of corn occasionally to
play with, and an inch or two of sand in the bottom
of the cage. Look out for insect pests. Rub insect
powder all through the feathers in all parts of the
body.

In addition to this list of our native birds, there
are a score or more of birds imported —Linnets, Larks,
Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, etc., etc., all of
which may be obtained of bird dealers in the cities.

Owls make stupid pets, as they wink and blink in
the daytime, and are most active at night when most
young people are, or ought to be, asleep. Then, too,
they are apt to be savage, and a nip from their power-
ful beaks is to be avoided.

The American Magpie in the Western States is
very plentiful, and one must admit that his jaunty air
and beautiful plumage are attractive. Some of them
have acquired ability as linguists. When domesticated
they become very tame and do not need to be confined ;
in fact, they frequently become too familiar. As a
thief he is without a rival. Like the crow he will eat
almost anything,—scraps of meat, bread and vege-
tables,—and what he does not need for one meal he will
hide for another.

A crow makes an interesting pet, but sometimes a
troublesome one. ‘Taken just about the time he is
ready to leave the nest, treated kindly and regularly
fed, he soon becomes quite tame. We called ours

OTHER BIRDS. 141

Jim, and at first we kept him in a cage, then we clipped
the feathers of one wing so that he could not fly, but
he soon grew so attached to us that when his feathers
in time came in and he could fly as well as his wild
brothers, he did not leave'us. He roosted in a near-by
pine tree and resisted all our efforts to bring him into
the woodshed on cold and stormy nights. We boys
would climb up and catch him after a great deal of
trouble, and carry him to a warm perch in the shed,
but the moment the door was open he would escape to
his favorite tree.

The belief that the tongue of the crow should be
split in order to make it talk, is an error.
Jim could call “ Hello” very plainly and use
some other words, and one day we boys
were nearly punished because Jim kept call-
ing something like “old colored woman” #3
while our neighbor’s cook was hanging out “
the clothes. He did it so well, she, thinking
it was we boys, came in and complained to mother.

Jim would come flying and hopping to meet us
when we came from school, sometimes with the tail of
a mouse dangling from his throat, for he was a great
mouser and would swallow the little ones whole, head
first, and it would take him some time to work the
mouse down his throat. We fed him scraps of all kinds
from the table; meats, bread and vegetables, and he
picked up the balance of his living in his own way.
He was very inquisitive, mischievous, a great scold,
and, worst of all, a thief. It never did to leave a pie
or pudding on the window to cool, or Jim would be at
it ina moment. Bright objects always attracted his

142 BIGGLE PET BOOK.

attention, and he had a secret hiding-place where he
carried pieces of glass, bright pebbles, string, and,
alas! mother’s silver thimble. With all his faults,
Jim was one of our favorites.

FOOT NOTES.

All caged birds need gravel. Don’t overlook it. Sprinkle it
freely in the bottom of the cage.

Make the holes of the wren box just as large as a twenty-five
cent piece. The wren can get in, but the sparrows can’t.

Have the cages large enough. Fora mocking bird or a bird
equally large, the cage should be not less than 16 x 24 x 24 inches.

A good way to get maggots for insect-eating birds is to obtain
some fresh sheep’s heads and put them in an open box or barrel,
and let the flies deposit their eggs; after two or three days you
will find hundreds of maggots rolling out. Puta couple of inches
of bran or meal in the box or barrel, and the maggots will live in it.

Broken legs or wings had best be left to nature to heal. Take
all perches out of the cage and put in soft flannel. A young friend’s
canary broke its leg, and after two or three ineffectual attempts to
set it he took a pair of shears and cut it off just above the fracture.
In a few days the bird was getting along very comfortably with
one leg.

Meal worms are also greatly relished. Look in some old meal
chest for worms to start with. Fill an old crock three-quarters
full of old leather and bran and put in your worms, a hundred if
you have found so many, and tie a woolen cloth over the mouth,
wetting it occasionally with water. Ina short time there should be
thousands of worms. Feed a few ata time.

PAGE
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Dogs Killing Chickens. . . II
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PAGE

Nervous System, Diseases
of the ae 76
Newfoundland Dog 44°27, 32
Opossums . 108

Organs of Special Sense,
DISEASES MO lea.) fom ah rt rc 75
COW ASH aspimae hay oo a) tere bree 140
PAIL OLS y uy eiee:, ere lee =a . 138
PETSlaniCatsa ose) de sine 61
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| Training Sheep Dogs ... 41
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Varieties of Pigeons . . . . 120
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The Biggle Books
A Complete Library for the Farm
Uniform with this volume

No. 1—BIGGLE HORSE BOOK (Third Eiition)

Tells allabout breeds, about feeding and watering,
about stable and road management, of whims and vices,
of harness, of diseases and remedies, of breeding, of colt
education, of shoeing. It covers the whole subject. 128
pages. Profusely illustrated. Price, 50 cts.

No. 2—BIGGLE BERRY BOOK (Second Edition)

All about berries. A whole encyclopedia of berry lore,
boiled down after the manner of FARM JOURNAL. Tells
about varieties, about planting, growing, mulching, culti-
vating, picking, and marketing. It has colored represen-
tations of berries true to size and color. Price, 50 cts.

No. 3—BIGGLE POULTRY BOOK (Second Edition)

This is the most comprehensive and helpful poultry
book ever gotten out, for, in addition to the vast amount
ot valuable information covered in its seventeen chapters,
there are sixteen colored plates, showing, true to color
and shape, twenty-three varieties of poultry. Price, 50 cts.

No. 4—BIGGLE COW BOOK

Allabout cows. There are twenty-six chapters cover-
ing the whole ground of the dairy. Those on ailments
and remedies are worth the whole price of the book to
any one owning evena smalldairy. 144 pages. 130 illus-
trations. Price, 50 cts.

No. 5—BIGGLE SWINE BOOK

Covers Eastern and Western practices, diseases of
hogs, especially cholera, feeding, butchering, marketing.
Illustrated with reproductions of photographs direct from
life. 144 pages. Price, 50 cts.

No. 6—BIGGLE HEALTH BOOK

Tells what to do till the doctor comes. It is just what
most families need,—a plain, common-sense monitor and
guide to good health. Printed on good paper, with 184
pages. Price, 50 cts.

No. 7—BIGGLE PET BOOK Price, 50 cts.

Wilmer Atkinson Co., Publishers
Philadelphia

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