FEATHER-LICE INFESTING CHICKENS. 121 
infested fowls with great celerity. But it also leaves its host 
quite readily, and passes upon the heads and bodies of per- 
sons holding the same, where 
it is quite annoying, though, 
of course, for only a short time, 
as it either soon leaves or dies. 
Horses in the vicinity of hen- 
houses, in which are kept in- 
fested chickens, soon suffer from 
the presence of such lice. 
The louse is of a yellowish 
color, slender, and measures from 
1to 14mm. in length. As _ the 
illustration (fig. 97) shows, it 
is quite distinct in shape from 
the other feather-lice infesting 
the same animal. 

Fig. 97.— Biting-louse of the Hen-houses once infested 
chicken. Greatly enlarged. Origi- 
nal. have to be thoroughly cleaned, 
and the remedies given elsewhere must be most thoroughly 
applied to secure good results. 
As all insects breathe by means of spiracles located in 
their sides, any kind of oil spread over an insect will kill it 
by suffocation, because the spiracles become closed. If a lit- 
tle fat or grease is put under the wings of a hen, close to the 
body, most lice will be killed; the same result will be reached 
if a small bit of fat is put upon the head of a young chicken 
just hatched. But care must be taken not to apply too 
much fat, as the remedy would be worse than the evil, by 
coating the skin of the young chicken, which would result in 
its speedy death. Pyrethrum is in such a case the only safe 
remedy. 
FEATHER-LICE OF DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 
(Docophorus icterodes Nitzsch). 
Species of parasites belonging to this genus possess in 
front of their feelers a small and moveable tooth-like projec- 
tion, and are thus easily separated from other feather-lice. 
