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The Parasite Question Again

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The Parasite Question Again.

The remarks of Mr. Lyman Belding in THE CONDOR, (Vol 3, No. 4) concerning the absence of intestinal parasites in Lop,%orlvx c. vaZlicoZzLs have been a great surprise to me, proving as they do that his experience with this bird has been so different from mine. It is true that my own experience has been almost wholly with L. cnlzjornicus ’ but it is hardly reasonable to suppose that a parasite would turn up its nose at a subspecies. It must be a question of infected localities.

I have seen so many cases of intestinal parasites in the Lophortyx of this region that I was led to believe that this bird was especially subject to such afflictions. In Marin County, and if my memory is correct, in San Renito County also, these birds are very frequently found with either what appear to ‘ be small tapeworms. or with numbers of round, white, rather blunt worms about half an inch long, closely resembling those sometimes found in domesticated poultry. Besides these I have often found a group of exceedingly small parasites of a bright vermilion color, suggesting fungoid growth, around the vent, but have never examined these with a microscope.

I might remark that I recently found what appeared to be this same vermilion parasite grouped around the eyelids of a young dog, and in sufficient quantity to be visible ata ’ distance of several feet. A light brushing with kerosene removed these in a short time. As there is no reason to suppose that a parasite would have any more compuncvallicohs than an L. calzjSoornicus the matter resolves itself into a local issue.

JOSEPH MAILLIARD.

San Geronimo, Cal

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