116 BITING-LICE OF MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 
Some of them possess a very peculiar shape, as the one found 
so commonly upon pocket-gophers. But as most farmers 
do not care to assist these injurious animals to rid them- 
selves of any parasites that may trouble them, no remedies 
have been tried in this particular case, and none are given. 
Perhaps it is well, however, to mention how we can kill 
these parasites, since by applying the remedy we can kill the 
host as well. Locate the gopher, close all openings to its 
underground home but one, and pour into this a wine-glass 
full of Bisulphide of Carbon, and cover up the hole with a 
wet sack. This chemical is very volatile, and the quickly 
formed fumes being heavier than the air soon fill all the un- 
derground burrows and kill every living being. Thisremedy, 
as far as the parasite is concerned, is like burning a house 
to get rid of the bed-bugs. 
Some pets like the guinea-pig are also infested with bit- 
ing lice, and remedies given for sucking-lice should be applied 
to kill them. 
Besides mammals nearly all birds are infested with 
feather-lice, and some so badly as to suffer very greatly; in 
extreme cases these parasites even cause the death of their 
hosts. As a general rule each species thrives only upon one 
kind of host, but not always so, as some few seem to be 
rather general feeders. The same bird can, however, harbor 
at the same time a number of different kinds of feather-lice. 
As far as our chickens are concerned we have in the United 
States not less than nine different kinds that make it their 
business to prevent hens from sitting, either as a recreation 
or as a business. 
All other domesticated birds are also badly infested, and 
to keep these parasites away or in check involves no little 
labor, and only very pains-taking poultry-keepers will succeed. 
To possess a large number of chickens is one thing, but to 
possess healthy and contented ones is quite a different matter. 
Cleanliness in every detail is just as important as the food, 
-and even more so, as most fowls have the run of the farm 
and are perfectly able to forage for themselves. 
As all these parasites have very similar habits, and can 
be fought in the same manner, only the more important ones 
