PARASITOLOGY. 71 
<nimals Infested—The tick is found in the hens’ 
nests and in the litter. They attack the birds mostly 
at night. They drive the hens from their nests and 
cause death of the host. They may be found on larger 
animals. It transmits the spirochetae gallinarum pro- 
ducing spirochetosis of fowls in Africa and Europe. 
ORNITHODOROS MEGNINI (Megnin). 
Synonyms.—Spinose tick; ear tick; spider tick ; 
Rhyncoprium Spinosum. 
fTistory.—Found in the South and middle West. 
Description.—The female, when engorged with 
blood, is about the size of a castor bean. The body 
is oval in shape, with the transverse diameter of the 
anterior third greater than that of the posterior third. 
Its cuticular surface is covered with spines, from 
which it gets its name,—"spinose tick.” The head 
parts are prominent; the hypostome not provided 
with denticles in the larval stage. The palpi are 
round in shape, and long. Its color varies from 
brown to violet. A specimen, two-thirds engorged 
with blood, taken from a steer, moulted once, and 
lived from Feb. 10, 1906, to July 8, 1907. 
Animals Intested.—It infests the ears of horses, 
cattle and other animals. 
Condition Produced.—They attach themselves to 
the skin lining the conchi, and also invade the audi- 
tory meatus. This causes much irritation; the animal 
shakes his head and shows other signs of nervous 
disorder. It is reported to have caused death. 
Treatment.—Oil, or any antiseptic solution of suffi- 
cient strength to be a parasiticide. Oil coats over, 
closing the breathing tubes, and asphyxiates the 
tick. 
