Parasites 225 



on poultry, for his researches in disease, says, 

 "When anything is the matter with a horse the 

 maxim is examine his feet, and when anjrthing is 

 fotmd Wrong with poultry the maxim should be 

 look for lice." 



Under this general head let us include the whole 

 family group, including red mites, for there are 

 special lice for every bird, and a dozen varieties 

 for poultry. Some lice live on hens, and must 

 be attacked by treating the hens, others live on the 

 roosts, and in cracks nearby, crawling onto the 

 hens at night, feeding on their blood, and leaving 

 before the fowls do in the morning. 



Most lice which live on the bodies of fowls may 

 be destroyed by a very simple method: buy an 

 ounce of mercurial ointment and two ounces of 

 vaseline. In a saucer, or on a piece of glass, work 

 the two ingredients thoroughly together. Take 

 a piece of this salve as large as a small pea and rub 

 it carefully into the skin around the vent of the 

 fowl. It may also be applied to the skin beneath 

 the wings in equal amounts, but experiments 

 prove that application around the vent is sufficient. 



The lice get into this ointment before long and 

 are soon destroyed. Careful search frequently 



IS 



