as affecting Domesticated Animals. (Jl 



in good condition, and under the best stable management, and 

 consequently not suspected to be lousy. 



Trickodectes Equi. — The broad-headed louse of the horse shows 

 a preference for the body, and, unless present in very large 

 numbers, seldom locates itself in the hair of the mane or tail. 

 Its pale colour, small size, and square form, at once distin- 

 guish it from the Hceynatojmms. Being a mas"ticator, it is 

 unprovided with any sucking-organ, and consequently it does not 

 fix itself to the skin although it lies in close contact therewith. It 

 feeds upon the desquamating epidermis, and also upon the increased 

 exudations that come from the skin as the result of the irritation it 

 produces. Being fond of warmth, the Trickodectes rarely quits the 

 surface of the integument during cold weather, so as to become 

 visible by travelling up the hairs. If, however, the affected 

 animal be placed in the sun for only a tew minutes, these lice 

 will speedily scale the hairs and appear on the surface, often in 

 such numbers as to surprise the groom or carter. Horses 

 affected to this extent are sure to be in impoverished condition, 

 besides suffering considerable cutaneous irritation. 



Poverty, exposure to inclement v»^eather, innutritions food, a 

 dirty state of skin, and similar causes, predispose animals to an 

 attack of these lice ; and consequently they are often present on 

 horses which are turned out during the winter months. Colts 

 whose health is impaired, and especially if they are the subjects 

 of chronic disease, are, however, even more susceptible to them. 

 Confirmatory of this we give the following case which has recently 

 come under our notice. 



A thorough-bred filly, between two and three years of age, was 

 admitted into the Infirmary of the Royal Veterinary College in 

 consequence of a diseased state of the absorbent system, which had 

 existed for several months. Being unbroken she had not been 

 I'egularly stabled, but had had the run of a paddock in which a shed 

 was placed. It had been noticed that of late she had suffered from 

 cutaneous irritation, but the true cause of this was not suspected. 

 Very shortly after her admission an examination of the skin 

 showed that she was literally covered from head to foot with lice. 

 Although diligent search was made, not one of the Hccmato/nni 

 could be found ; the epizoa all being of the genus Trickodectes. 

 The care and attention which this filly had received were suf- 

 ficient to make it more than probable that it was not from neglect, 

 but solely from impaired health that she had been attacked with 

 these parasites. 



The destruction of lice is not difficult ; but to efTectually free 

 an animal of them it is necessary that their ova — the "nits" — 

 be killed as well as the parasites themselves. For this purpose the 

 antiparasitic agent must be again applied to the skin after an in- 



