41 



The worm is kiio\\u as Syngamous irachealis, is of a 

 reddiish color and the feiiiak^ is about Gine-lialf to three- 

 fourths of an inch long, while the male is about one- 

 fifth of an incli long. The male is constantly attached 

 to the female, the fuuuel-shapped lower end surround- 

 ing a pore on the side of tlie female a little less than 

 one-tliird of the distance from its head. On account 

 of this ])eculiar iiiiion a gape-woi'm is sometimes de- 

 scribed as a "branch-worm" and on account of its color 

 it is in some places known as the "red-worm." The 

 head is broad and flat and arianged for sucking. This 

 disc-lilve liead is placed against the lining membrane of 



Ihe wind-pipe at any point between 



the mc'Uth and the bivnchial tubes. 



Souietimes there are as many as 30 



or 40 worms in a single fowl, but 



usually not so many. Three or four 



of th(-m suffice to destroy a young 



chick but a greater number are nec- 



essiary to destroy an adult. 



When tlie worms are coughed out 



othcM' fowls eat them greediiy and in 



this way they become infected in 



turn, because the miature females 



are full of eggs. It has been shown 



by experiment that after birds are 



fed upon worms containing eggs 



they may develop gapes within two 



to three weeks. Another and per- 

 haps the principal way in which the 



disease is spread is through the 



agency of earth- wonns. Many of 



the eggs of the gape-worm when a pair of gape worms 



throAvn out on the ground gain ac- ti'S'n ofTvi™ Vivy^ 



