External Parasites 213 



the ventral side of the body and in the fluff under the wings. 

 Its efficiency, which is greater than that of any other lice 

 powder known to the writer, can be very easily demonstrated 

 by any one to his own satisfaction. Take a bird that is 

 covered with lice and apply the powder in the manner just 

 described. After a lapse of about a minute, shake the bird, 

 loosening its feathers with the fingers at the same time, over 

 a clean piece of paper. Dead and dying lice will drop on 

 the paper in great numbers. Any one who will try this 

 experiment will have no further doubt of the wonderful 

 efficiency and value of this powder." 



Next to the Lawry powder probably pure pyrethrum or 

 Persian insect powder is as cheap and effective as anything 

 to be had. 



A time-honored and effective treatment for lice, especially 

 for young chicks, is greasing. The grease most often used is 

 lard or sometimes lard and sulphur. The latter should not 

 be used for young chicks. The lard is applied with the 

 finger to the head, neck, under the wings and around the 

 vent. Greasing is a somewhat tedious but very effective 

 treatment for lice, especially on young chicks, since lice 

 usually attack them on the head and neck. 



B. MITES — ACARINA 



Eighteen species of mites are parasitic upon fowls. Only 

 4 of these are sufficiently injurious and widely distributed to 

 be of great economic importance. Occasionally one or 

 another of the other species becomes sufficiently abundant 

 to be of local importance. The mites are small 8-legged 

 animals related to the spiders. Some of the mites parasitic 

 on the fowl visit their host only to feed, as the common red 

 mite ; others remain on the surface of the skin or on the 

 feathers, as in the case of depluming scabies. Others live 



