INTERNAL PARASITES 249 



or fully developed they are spoken of as being ripe. The ripe 

 segments detach themselves, sometimes one, and at other 

 times two, three, or even four. These segments, laden with 

 mature eggs by the thousand, pass out to the ground with the 

 droppings. The eggs they contain are microscopic in size 

 and oval in shape. Other birds partaking of food or water 

 contaminated or soiled by the infested droppings may become 

 infested. 



Symptoms. — ^The tapeworm has no digestive tract as is the 

 case with the round-worm. They live by each segment 

 absorbing its own food. This food consists of nutrients taken 

 into the digestive tract of the host and digested. Hence, 

 when large numbers of these worms are present they absorb 

 much valuable digested nutrients, thus robbing the host. 

 The birds become thin in flesh and, in fact, emaciated. There 

 may be a loss of appetite, an unthrifty appearance, the feathers 

 present an unkempt appearance, and the bird finally dies. 



One or more ripe segments may be shed at one time, which 

 appear on the outer edge of the droppings as a whitish body. 

 If these segments be placed in cold water as soon as passed 

 they will be noted to possess the power of contractiUty or 

 slight movement, that is, contraction and expansion. 



Treatment. — ^Fast the birds twenty-four hours and give a 

 teaspoonful of turpentine and a tablespoonful of epsom salts. 

 Dissolve the salts in hot water. 



A few teaspoonfuls of a decoction of pumpkin seed, followed 

 by a physic of salts, is good treatment. 



If it is the desire to avoid medicating each bird separately 

 and take chances on collective treatment, give in a mash 

 made of wheat shorts mixed with water 2 grains of powdered 

 areca nut to each bird, as suggested under round-worms. 



