DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



183 



SCABIES OR MANGE OF THE BODY. 



Two varieties of scabies. liave been described as af- 

 fecting the bodies of the domesticated birds. One 

 form has been attributed to mites of the genus Epider- 

 moptes and the other is known to be caused by the 

 Sarcoptes. These varieties being quite distinct will be 

 described separately. 



SCABIES CAUSED BY EPIDERMOPTES. 



The two species naaied Epidermoples bilobatus and 

 Epidermoptes bifwcatus have been observed by a num- 

 ber of authors, and their presence is generally coinci- 

 dent with a mange -like disease of the skin, although 

 they have also been discovered upon 

 fowls apparently free from this disease. 

 There is, consequently, some doubt as 

 to whether these mites produce scabies, 

 or whether they are inoffensive. The 

 preponderance of evidence at present 

 indicates, however, that they are the 

 cause of the disease which has been 

 attributed to them. 



The Epidermoptes are very small aca - 

 rina, or mites which generally live in 

 the soft plumage or down at the surface 

 of the skin. Usually they are not 

 numerous but under certain conditions 

 they multiply enormously. The skin 

 of various parts of the body or over 

 the entire body, with the exception of the head, be- 

 comes irritated, scurfy, and covered with large, thin, 

 yellowish or grayish scales or crusts which accumu- 

 late particularly at the base of the feathers. In rare 

 instances the head may be affected ; but it is generally 

 the neck, breast, the region under the wings. 



Fi?. 47.— 

 Dermanyasus 



(Red mite). Egrg' 

 and young- mire. 

 Mag-nified 75 di- 

 ameters. 



