POULTRY FOR PROFIT 71 
mites, which are so bothersome to most poultry, 
have the peculiar habit of staying on the birds 
only during the night, creeping down at day¬ 
light to some crack or crevice to hide until 
darkness again forces the birds to go to roost. 
These mites are even more destructive in their 
work than are the body lice. They are gen- 
erally found in any crack or crevice about the 
perches,. Here they can obscure themselves, 
and be very close to their prey when ready to 
begin their work at night. While the lice are 
eating insects, the mites are sucking insects, 
and suck the blood of the birds during the 
night. When the mite is hungry, he is of a 
yellowish color. When filled up, however, with 
a good meal of blood, he is red. The mite is 
very small, and is similar in construction to 
a spider. 
If a flock of chickens are believed to be 
suffering from mites, and there are very few, 
by the way, that are not troubled with these 
pests, then it would be advisable first, to white¬ 
wash the poultry house thoroughly, not only 
the roosting quarters, but the walls and other 
fixtures inside the house. Kerosene is quite 
frequently used to spray the nests with, but has 
