OKLAHOMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 39 



rence in children in Oklahoma but the parasite is very common in 

 the dogs of the state. The intermediate stage of this tapeworm is 

 in the dog flea. In every case where this worm has been found 

 in children they have had dogs for companions. The children prob- 

 ably accidently swallow infested fleas and thus become infested. 



Sheep are commonly infested with Monezia cxpansa, and occas- 

 ionally with Thysanosoma actiniodes, the fringed tape worm. Their 

 life histories are unknown. Both cause considerable loss among 

 lambs. Sheep harbour the intermediate stages of at least two 

 species of dog tapeworms, i. e., Taenia marginata, the bladder stage 

 being located in the liver or mesenteries, and Multiceps miilticeps, 

 the larval stage being a coenurus located in the brain and is known 

 as the gid parasite. 



Cattle as a rule are not as seriously affected with tapeworms 

 as are sheep. The common tapeworm of cattle being Taenia planis- 

 sima. 



Most Oklahoma dogs which are allowed to roam at will are 

 infested with tapeworms, very often more than one species being 

 present in a single animial. Multiceps serialis, iL multiceps, Taenia 

 serrata, T. marginata, T. echinococcus, and Dipylidiiiin caninum are 

 the common species. T. marginata and Multiceps multiceps, as men- 

 tioned before are transmitted through the offal from sheep. AL 

 scriaiis and 7". serrata are transmitted through eating the flesh of 

 rabbits, while D. caninum, as mentioned above is transmitted through 

 dog fleas. T. echinococcus is trasmitted through the flesh of 

 hogs. The larval stage has also been frequently recorded from 

 man in various parts of the world. 



Domestic cats also have their tapeworms, the common species 

 being Taenia crassicollis This species is transmitted through 

 eating rats and mice. D. caninum is also frequently found in cats. 



The chickens of Oklahoma are infested with four species of 

 tapeworms, i. e., Dai'ainea eesticillus, D. tctragona, Hymcnolepis 

 carioea ajid Choanotaenia infundibnlifornvis. The writer has exam- 

 ined hundreds of chickens during the past three years and very 

 few birds did not harbour at least one species of these cestodes. All 

 of the four above named species may be transmitted through flies, 

 Musca domestica (common house fly) and Stomoxys calcitrans 

 (stable fly). Several species of tapeworms are present in the rod- 

 ents of the state. Those especially infested are rabbits, gophers, 

 and rats. The wild birds are also more or less heavily infested. 



Nematodes, or Roundworms 



When we speak of "worms" in animals we iTsually refer to mem- 

 l)ers of this group. They are the most numerous and may infest 



