136 Diseases of Poultry 



mediate host. It here develops into a larval form known as 

 a cysticercoid. When the intermediate host (worm, snail, 

 etc.) is eaten by a chicken this larva continues its develop- 

 ment and forms an adult tape worm. Thus there are two 

 stages in the life cycle of a tape worm : that in the adult 

 host and that in the intermediate host. Each species of 

 tape worm, of which there are a great many, has its par- 

 ticular host, both intermediate and final. 



According to Stiles ^ there were up to 1896, 33 species of 

 tape worms recorded for poultry. Of these 11 are recorded 

 as occurring in chickens (Gallus). The complete life history 

 is known for only a few of these. Since that time several 

 other species have been described.^ 



Regarding the tape worms of chickens. Stiles (loc. cit.) 

 says, p. 13 : " (They) are known to become infected with 

 one tape worm through eating slugs {Limax). They are 

 supposed to become infected with a second through eating 

 snails (Helix) ; by a third through eating flies and by a 

 fourth through eating earth worms." 



There seems but little need to give a description of the 

 different species of tape worms found in chickens. The 

 characters by which they are distinguished from each other 

 are too minute and involved to be of use to the poultryman 

 or farmer. If any one is having trouble with tape worms in 

 poultry the best thing to do is to send a portion of the intes- 

 tine containing the worms to Washington as directed above. 

 The correct identification of the species and the correspond- 

 ing knowledge of its life history will often suggest a specific 

 means of control. 



> Stiles, C. W., "The Tapeworms of Poultry." U. S. Dept. of 

 Agr., Bur. of Anim. Ind., Bui. 12, pp. 1-80, 1896. 



2 See Ransom, B. H., "The Tapeworms of American Chickens 

 and Turkeys." U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bur. of Anim. Indus., Ann. 

 Kept., 1904, pp. 268-285. 



