SCALY LEG OF FOWLS. 43 



The female ovigerous mite (fig. 14) is a minute 

 round white body, with very short legs, -40 mm. to 

 '45 mm. in length ; the male is still smaller, being- 

 only "20 mm. long. 



The male, larva, and nymph have on all their legs 

 suckers, common to all Sarcoptes. The females have 

 no suckers and are more globular than the other three 

 forms. They are ovoviviparous. 



Disease Contagious. 



The ' scaly-leg ' disease produced by these mites 

 is spread by contagion, through the contact of un- 

 healthy and healthy fowls. It cannot, however, be 

 highly contagious, for it is not unusual to see a bird 

 suffering severely from this Acariasis amongst a lot of 

 perfectly healthy birds. However, it is very likely 

 to spread in time to other birds by the young mites, 

 which move about amongst the scales and even on 

 the outside of the leg. 



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Influence of Breed. 



It has been noticed that the exotic breeds of fowls 



suffer most severely. Reynal and Lanquetin have 



noticed its more frequent occurrence in Cochin-Chinas 



and the varieties than in the Dorking. Leghorns 



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and AVyandottes I have seen with this complaint. 

 Dorkings seem less susceptible to this malady than 

 any other breed. 



