Miles Gapes 313 



perches, and the cracks and crevices about them, 

 are kept free from the pests the fowls will not 

 be disturbed. Free use of kerosene oil or kero- 

 sene emulsion about the nests and perches will 

 usually suffice. Some manufacturers have taken 

 advantage of the habit of these pests and con- 

 struct perches which will not permit them to 

 pass from the places of concealment about the 

 poultry house to the body of the fowl, each perch 

 being supported by means of slender iron sup- 

 ports, the bases of which are placed in small 

 cups filled with oil. 



A little care and watchfulness on the part of 

 the poultry attendant to keep the poultry house 

 entirely free from mites will protect the fowls 

 from these pests. 



GAPES 



Gapes sometimes destroys large numbers of 

 small chickens; in fact, on some farms during 

 certain seasons it seems almost impossible to rear 

 broods of young chickens that are entirely free 

 from it, particularly if the young chickens are 

 kept under the ordinary conditions. It is well 

 known that gapes is caused by a small worm 

 known as Syngamws trachealis. This worm is of 

 a reddish color and varies in length from three- 

 eighths to three -fourths of an inch. The two sexes 

 are united, which fact has given rise to the name 



