legs, but often occurs on the comb and neck. The adults of this species 

 are ver}^ small, whitish in color, and have very short legs. They 

 burrow in the skin, causing an intense itching, and forming a crust 

 of loosened tissue above their burrows. A good remedy is to bathe 

 the infested parts in warm, soapy water, and then apply sulphur 

 ointment. Naphthaline crystals powdered and mixed with 9 parts 

 of lard also make an effective ointment. 



Another closely related mite, Cnemidocojjtes gallince Railliet, is 

 sometimes found on hens. It burrows near the base of the feathers; 

 and the itching induces the hen to pluck her feathers in a vain effort 

 to stop the irritation. It is sometimes called the " depluming mite." 

 Another similar mite, Rivoltasia hifurcata Rivolta, sometimes feeds 

 on the feathers of fowls, but causes no injury. 



In Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California there is 

 a tick, A7'gas tniniatus Koch (see fig. 2), which attacks hens, and in 

 those sections is a more serious menace to j^oultry even than the 

 " chicken mite." The adult tick is a flattened, elliptical, reddish, or 

 mahogany-brown creature, about one-third of 

 an inch long. The edges of the body are 

 quite sharp, and from above one can scarcely 

 see the small and slender legs. The surface 

 of the body is finely and irregularly rough- 

 ened or pitted. These ticks feed on the hens 

 at night and retire to the crevices of the hen- 

 house during the day. The eggs are laid in 

 these crevices, and both ticks and eggs can be 

 destroyed by spraying the inside of the house 

 with kerosene. It is useful to rest the ends of 

 the roosts upon something which the ticks can 

 not cross, as a ball of tarred cotton, or the 



Fig. 2. — Argas miniatus, a tick 

 which infests poultry. 

 Greatly enlarged (original). 



roosts may be hung by Avires from above. 



The life history of this tick is not fully under- 

 stood as yet, but there is no probability that it Avill spread to the 

 North. 



LICE. 



The various species of lice affecting poultry are more numerous 

 than the mites, but since they do not suck the blood they are less 

 injurious. 



THE COMMON TIEN LOUSE. 



DESCRIITION AND IIAIJITS. 



The only species found in abundance throughout the country is 

 known as Menopon jyaUichan Nitzsch (see fig. 3), the common "hen 



[Cir. 92] 



