40 MITE PARASITES. 



the smallest of all the Acarina, varying from *1 to 

 1 mm.; their appearance is best indicated by the 

 figures. They have no eyes, and breathe through thei r 

 skin. The only two Sarcoptidce found on domestic 

 birds, anyhow on the Fowl, are both answerable for 

 very serious complaints. These two Mites are known 

 as Sarcoptes mutans (fig. 14) and S. Icevis (fig. 15). 

 The former of these two Mites produces the well- 

 known disease of ' Scabby Leg ' or * Scaly Leg'; the 

 latter is anyhow answerable for the so-called ' Feather- 

 eating ' in Fowls, the 6 Depluming Scabies/ or ' Body 

 Scabies ' of Fowls and Pigeons. 



Scaly Leg of Fowls. 



This unsightly disease, due to the minute Sarcopt 

 Mite (S. mutans), is very prevalent. Like most 

 psoric diseases, it is not always amenable to rapid 

 treatment ; patience, however, even in advanced cases, 

 will usually be rewarded by recovery. 



Some authorities state that the disease may appear 

 on the head as well as upon the legs. Reynal and 

 Lanquetin (who are partly answerable for this state- 

 ment), Megnin, and others who have paid much 

 attention to this affection only refer to the leg 

 attack. Some hundred cases have been examined 

 by the author, and all of these were upon the 

 legs, no signs appearing in any other part of the 

 body ; moreover, every attempt to implant the Acari 

 on the head failed. 



