86 



THE CHICKEN-MITE. 



cause great irritation, sores, and scabs, and cases are known 

 where they have settled permanently upon birds, chiefly 

 pigeons, and upon the cat, killing these animals in course of 

 time. As they are nocturnal in their habits the\' are not 

 often found upon the tormented animals during the day, but 

 as soon as it becomes dark they leave their hiding-places to 



Fig. 51. — Gamasus sptc. Mite and lej? grcallj' enlarged. Original. 



suck blood. They obtain this by means of very keen 

 mandibles, and if at all numerous the3' extract considerable 

 quantities of it and thus become very injurious, even fatal to 

 younger or weaker birds. Even when not very numerous 

 they prevent the fowls from sleeping at night, and not in- 

 frequently force setting hens to leave the eggs. They have 

 also been known to enter the nasal cavities of birds, causing 

 a severe inflammation. 



Remedies. — Cleanliness is always the best preventive. 

 The houses and cag-es must be washed from time to time 



