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Vol. XLVII. LONDON, AUGUST, 1915 No. 8 



, POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



Lice Affecting the Domestic Fowl. 



BY A. W. baker, GUELPH, ONT. 



The lice affecting the Domestic Fowl are members of the 

 order Mallophaga and are commonly called Biting or Bird Lice 

 to distinguish them from the sucking lice of mammals. The name 

 "Biting Lice" is applied because of the fact that the mouth-parts 

 of the insects are fitted for biting. The food consists of bits of 

 feathers and epiHermal scales — the lice never feeding on the blood 

 of the host save possibly where it may have dried around wounds. 

 The injin-}- to chickens arises from the irritation produced by the 

 constant feeding and probably also to a considerable extent by 

 the sharp claWs. 



The loss occasioned to poultry keepers through the attacks of 

 lice is of course difficult of estimation, but it is certain that it is 

 much greater than is usually supposed to be the case. The injury 

 to chicks is especially great, proper growth being prevented through 

 the restless activity of the bird. It is even quite possible that much 

 of the mortality of small chicks is due directly to the attacks of 

 lice. More mature birds are also prevented from making proper 

 growth and egg-laying is doubtless checked to a considerable 

 e.xtent by the weakened and restless condition of the birds. Where 

 setting hens are used there are often losses in hatching as a result 

 of the abnormal activity of the bird. In addition to these direct 

 losses birds as a- result of their weakened condition are more sus- 

 ceptible to the ^■arious diseases to which poultry are at all times 

 a prey. 



One point which makes the biting lice of great importance as 

 ectoparasites is that the whole life of the insect is passed on the 

 body of the host. The female attaches her eggs to the feathers 

 of the bird and each young louse escapes by pushing oft" a cap-like 

 structure at the free end of the egg The rest of the lite ot the 



