as affecting Domesticated Animah. 67 



bable, for it is an admitted fact that pigs, and especially young 

 ones, do not thrive satisfactorily if made to sleep on barley-straw, 

 and any cause which will impair tlie health of an animal will at 

 the same time predispose it to an attack of parasites. 



Denny, in his remarks on this louse, says that it " is found in 

 great numbers on swine, but it does not appear so generally 

 spread as might be expected from the dirty habits of these 

 animals. It most frequently occurs on those fresh imported 

 from the sister isle. It was many months before I could obtain 

 a single example. I had applied to both farmers and pig- 

 butchers, neither of whom seemed to approve of the idea which 

 I had conceived of their pigs being lousy., but referred me to 

 those of the Emerald Isle as being sure to gratify my wishes — 

 forgetting, I suspect, that Irish pigs come to this market to meet 

 English buyers. I accordingly visited a colony just arrived, 

 when I most certainly met with a ready supply, but here they 

 were confined almost entirely to lean animals, and wherever I 

 found a pig fat or healthy, no game were to be seen. 



" In walking this species uses the claw and tibial tooth with 

 great facility — which act as a finger and thumb — in taking hold 

 of a single hair. The male is smaller than the female, with the 

 abdomen shorter, sub-orbicular, and the segments lobate. The 

 e^g^ or nit, is three-fourths of a line in length, of a cream- 

 colour, and elegantly shagreened, oblong, and slightly acumi- 

 nated, surrounded by a lid, which, when the young insect is 

 ready to emerge, splits circularly." * 



The Hcematopinus Suis shows a preference for the upper por-^ 

 tion of the neck, and the parts behind the ears, and also those 

 between the fore-legs, where the skin is comparatively thin ; 

 being less frequently met with on the sides and hind-quarters 

 of the animal, except when present in large numbers. It 

 will generally be found firmly fixed to the skin, drawing its 

 supply of blood by its haustellum, which organ is conical in 

 shape and very prominent in this species. The irritation 

 produced by the parasite is considerable, and cracks and sores 

 of the skin often result from its presence ; but the pig seems to 

 regard this much less than many other animals. As a rule, 

 however, even when existing in great abundance, Htcmatopini 

 would appear to cause an unthrifty state of the animal rather 

 than simple cutaneous disease. Like the Hcematopini of the ox 

 these lice are very often seen on pigs during the winter months 

 when they are confined to the fodder-yard, disappearing on the 

 approach of warm weather when the. animals have a greater 

 range and can " wallow in the mire." 



' Auopluvonuu Uritivnniiic,' p. -35. 



F 2 



