PARASITES AND ENEMIES OF POULTRY 319 



in the poultry house (see Chapter XVIII, page 195). If this 

 box is kept full of dry powdered dirt, the birds will largely 

 rid themselves of lice. When very 

 numerous and the birds do not seem 

 to get rid of them by dusting in sand 

 wallows, sprinkle each bird individually 

 with a good lice powder, dusting it 

 well into the quill. A good method 

 is to get a preparation of blue oint- 

 ment, and rub a little of it into the 

 fluff at the base of the feathers, and 

 also thoroughly into the skin. If birds 

 seem to be a little out of condition 

 and not doing well, they should be 

 examined for body lice. 



Red mites (Fig. 175) are minute in- 

 sects. When empty they are of yellow 



FIG. 174. Enlarged sketch 



color, when filled up with blood, bright 



red. Red mites migrate during the night, from hiding places 



in the house, to the bird's body to 

 suck its blood, then return to their 

 cracks and crevices around the 

 dropping boards, where they re- 

 main during the day. They sap 

 the vitality of the birds. Mites 

 are much easier to kill than lice 

 because they can be attacked in 

 their hiding places. A 5 per cent 

 solution of carbolic acid, or kero- 

 sene, full strength, if applied di- 



Fio. 175. Enlarged sketch of a ,. on xi +~ + U A wrknr | wn rlr will n<aii 

 red mite, showing the shape of the rCCtiy iO U 6 WOC 0. WOrK, W11J 



ally kill the mites. If nests and fix- 

 tures are portable, this will facilitate the extermination of mites. 

 Depluming Mites. The depluming mite is much more 

 rare but, when present in large numbers, does considerable 



