94 Rt:roKT of the commissionek of aguicultuke. 



Further iii\(\stif,sition .sjjowed that the o])aque rnarldiigs above alluded 

 to contained, ill many instances, the remains of one or more of these 

 niites. The substance of theopa(iue species was calcareous. The habi- 

 tat of these niites seemed to be confined to the cellular tissue wholly. 

 I examined the viscera and cavities of this fo\Yl, but found neither liv- 

 ing mites nor their rcniains nor calcareous specks. Megniii states that 

 in Europe this acarus has been found iu all turlcey hens, and especially 

 in Ibreign turkeys of the family Fliasania. IJe says that these acari 

 gather in millions in the cellular tissue and destroy the libers, but with- 

 out causing any other change than the production of the calcareous con- 

 cretions spoken of. He further says: "They have been noticed iu such 

 numbers in old birds as to leave no doubt as to their being the cause of 

 death." The existence of either of the mites above described in Ami'i'i- 

 can fowl has not hitherto been known. Jn this same fowl I found thou- 

 sands of encysted nematoids, resembling, when viewed under a low 

 power of the ir.icroscojie, trichiini spiralis; but when removed from 

 their watery cj'sts and viewed under a power of about oOO diameters, 

 they seemed to be of an uiidcscribed species. 



These encysted worms are wholly coutined to the muscular coating of 

 the stomach and intestines. 



On examining a third fowl, which was dead when brought to me, I 

 found in its cellular tissue numerous mites of the s])ecies gaUinonim, 

 above described. From the results of these examinations, it seems 

 probable that a considerable amount of disease prevailing among Ameri- 

 can domestic fowls and not referable to any known ty])e, may be due to 

 the presence of such parasites as I found in the cases above nsentioned. 

 Investigation iu this direction may therefore have an important bear- 

 ing on the healthful raising of domestic fowls. 



I would suggest that carbolic acid, or other disinfectants, si)rinkled 

 in and about nests and on the floors of henneries, might jirove useful as 

 an antidote in cases similar to the above, as well as in cases where the 

 exterior of the fowl is infested. Since this discovery was uuide, a West- 

 ern correspondent, Mr. T. B. Eedding,writes from Greencastle, Ind., that 

 the identical species of mite described above has been- found in domes- 

 tic fowls iu his locality. 



FUICGI. 



I have prepared a collection of water-color drawings, numbering about 

 eight hundred plates, representing the leading types of the genera and 

 si)ecies of fungi, embracing many of the edible and poisonous species 

 found in the United States, together with the types of genera and 

 Kijecies of the principal microscoi)ic fungi which pre,> on living i)lants 

 or are otherwise prejudicial to their healthy growth. 



The edible fungi of the United States at present known consist of 

 about one hundred and thirty si)ecies. Mycologists and others inter- 

 ested will probably find in this exhibit a larger number of drawbigs of 

 native species than can be found elsewhere. 



The microscopic fungi are selected from collections made by Dr. M. 

 C. Cooke, Prof. Charles Peck, Dr. Curtis, and other noted mycologists, 

 many of them having been prepared especially for this division. 1 

 have also prepared a descriptive catalogue of this collection. 



TESTS OP BUTTER AND OTHER FATS. 



A little over eight years ago I nuide my hrst experiments relating to 

 oleomargarine and butter, my prime object being to (ind a mode by 

 which these substances coidd be distinguished one from the other. 



