88 Mites Injurious to Domestic Animals. 



America. Both poultry and cage birds are greatly weakened by 

 loss of blood due to its attacks. It is nocturnal in habits, coming 

 out at night to suck the blood of the birds. During the day time 

 the mites conceal themselves in crevices, under boards, and in 

 similar obscure places. Sometimes they live in the hollow perching- 

 bars of cages or in the ornamental tops of metal cages. They are 

 capable of living many days without feeding. Red mites (pre- 

 sumably D. gallinae) have been proved by Mayer to transmit 

 spirochaetosis (Spirochaeta gallinarum) in canaries, but it is not 

 certain whether infection is due to the bites of the Acari or to their 

 being swallowed by the bird. 



Bishopp and Wood point out that the mites can continue to 

 infest the poultry houses long after the fowls have been removed. 

 D. gallinae is able to live for a long time without sucking blood. 

 In some test experiments made by the authors mentioned above 

 some of the mites were still alive after being separated from the 

 host for 113 days or more. Their tests showed that when the 

 mites were supplied with a certain amount of moisture they lived 

 longer than when kept under very dry conditions. The author 

 has kept specimens of D. gallinae in tubes and cardboard boxes 

 without food, but with a little moisture supplied occasionally, and 

 one or two mites were still living after eighty-two days. 



Fowl houses infested with D. gallinae should be sprayed with 

 crude petroleum either employed alone or diluted with kerosene at 

 the rate of one part of kerosene to three parts of petroleum. Com- 

 mercial carbolineum (a high grade anthracene oil) has been used as 

 a spray with still better results in the United States. It is advisable 

 to repeat the spraying after a month's interval. Creosote has also 

 been successfully used against this fowl mite. 



Solutions of commercial disinfectants made up to double the 

 usual strength recommended for domestic use can be applied by 

 means of a watering-oan with a fine rose to the interior of the fowl- 

 house, the soil of the runs, dust bath, etc. If this be done weekly 

 the parasites become reduced in number and gradually disappear. 



D. gallinae is also found in the nests of sparrows, pigeons, 

 swallows, wrens, and of a few other species of birds. Horses and 

 other mammals are sometimes molested by this mite. 



Genus Liponyssus, Kolenati, 1859. 



The genus Liponyssus is characterised by the rather short 

 mandibles (chelicerae), the fingers of which are separate and smooth 

 or with obsolete teeth. The body is often bilobed posteriorly. 



