EXTERNAL PARASITES 55 



Acanthia Inodora 



Description.— Fig. 17 illustrates a specimen obtained from 

 an infestation in Colorado. It will be noted that it is pro- 

 vided with long antenna^, which possess long joints or articles. 

 Its head is rather narrow and it has prominent eyes. The 

 thorax is crescent-shaped on the anterior border and is much 

 wider than the head. It is provided with three pairs of legs. 

 Its abdomen, like the abdomen of the louse, is segmented 

 and is practically destitute of hair. 



Life History. — The Acanthia inodora lays its eggs in the 

 filth, where they soon hatch, if the weather be warm, and 

 rapidly develop to the adult state. 



Symptoms of Infestation.— This bug is quite a 

 pest in Mexico and some parts of the southern 

 United States. At times they are found in great 

 numbers swarming over the roosts and nests, 

 specking the eggs with their excrement, attacking 

 the hosts at night and sucking their blood. The 

 conditions, as a result, are the same as is the case 

 in any other form of infestation by external par- 

 asites. 



Treatment.— Similar to the preceding. The 

 chicken bug is at times a formidable foe, even in- 

 vading dwellings and proving more troublesome 

 than the common bedbug {Cimex lecMaria). They 

 begin to appear about the middle of April, and at 

 times it is necessary to keep the chickens entirely 

 out of doors. 



The bugs may live for many months on the filth 

 about a dove cote or henhouse and the disinfection 

 must be most thorough to eradicate them. 



FUNGI AFFECTING BIRDS 



Three harmful fungi affect chickens. One kind 

 affects the mouth, another the skin and the third 

 the lungs. They are more or less common in this 

 country. 



