232 



DIPTERA OR TRUE FLIES. 



The Hen-plea (Pulbx avium). 



The Hen-flea is often very troublesome in fowl-roosts. It is 

 a species common to all birds, and is dark-brown in colour. We 

 find them most abundantly in dirty fowl-nests, especially where 

 the houses are damp and badly ventilated and lighted. Hen- 

 fleas live in the nests, where in the corners and crevices the nits 



are deposited, the larvae 

 and pupae being found 

 amongst the straw, feathers, 

 and dung in the nests. 

 They feed off the birds of a 

 night, sucking their blood, 

 and produce great irrita- 

 tion. These insects are 

 very injurious to setting 

 hens, and often cause them to neglect their eggs. The small 

 white maggots have a curious little process, the " post-frontelle," 

 on their head, on coming from the egg, by which they force 

 their way out of the egg-shell : there are a few scattered hairs 

 over the larva, which lives about three weeks. 



Prevention and Remedies. — It is very important to keep fowls' 

 nests clean ; then fleas cannot breed there, and can be easily 

 kept down. By using wood-wool instead of straw we shall 

 seldom be bothered by them in our roosts. Persian insect- 

 powder is a good insecticide to keep them off setting birds, just 

 dusted over the boxes before the eggs are put in and the hens 

 commence to set. In fact, keeping the hen-houses clean will 

 stop this pest from doing any harm. 



Fio. 117.- 



-Larva. and Pupa of Hen-flea 

 (Piilex avium). 



The Dog-flea (Pulex canis) also lives on the cat, and should 

 be kept off' the animals if possible. Carbolic soap baths are 

 perhaps the best remedy. No other species are noxious in 

 these islands except the Human Flea (P. irritans). 



