116 BITING-LICE OF MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 



Some of them possess a very peculiar shape, as the one found 

 so commonly upon pocket-gophers. But as most farmers 

 do not care to assist these injurious animals to rid them- 

 selves of any parasites that may trouble them, no remedies 

 have been tried in this particular case, and none are given. 

 Perhaps it is well, however, to mention how we can kill 

 these parasites, since by applying the remedy we can kill the 

 host as well. Locate the gopher, close all openings to its 

 underground home but one, and pour into this a wine-glass 

 full of Bisulphide of Carbon, and cover up the hole with a 

 wet sack. This chemical is very volatile, and the quickly 

 formed fumes being heavier than the air soon fill all the un- 

 derground burrows and kill every living being. Thisremed^^, 

 as far as the parasite is concerned, is like burning a house 

 to get rid of the bed-bugs. 



Some pets like the guinea-pig are also infested with bit- 

 ing lice, and remedies given for sucking-lice should be applied 

 to kill them. 



Besides mammals nearly all birds are infested with 

 feather-lice, and some so badly as to suffer very greatly; in 

 extreme cases these parasites even cause the death of their 

 hosts. As a general rule each species thrives only upon one 

 kind of host, but not always so, as some few seem to be 

 rather general feeders. The same bird can, however, harbor 

 at the same time a number of different kinds of feather-lice. 

 As far as our chickens are concerned we have in the United 

 States not less than nine different kinds that make it their 

 business to prevent hens from sitting, either as a recreation 

 or as a business. 



All other domesticated birds are also badly iilfested, and 

 to keep these parasites away or in check involves no little 

 labor, and only very pains-taking poultry -keepers will succeed. 

 To possess a large number of chickens is one thing, but to 

 possess healthy and contented ones is quite a different matter. 

 Cleanliness in every detail is just as important as the food, 

 and even more so, as most fowls have the run of the farm 

 and are perfectly able to forage for themselves. 



As all these parasites have very similar habits, and can 

 be fought in the same manner, only the more important ones 



