A List of Mallophaga from Gallinaceous Birds of North America

Abstract

During the past few years, the author has made a special study of the Mallophaga found on the gallinaceous birds of North America north of Mexico. The taxonomic papers resulting from that study can be found principally in the Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. Since it is seldom that a worker has an opportunity to examine such a wealth of material as was loaned for this study, it is believed that the data should be made available to other workers. Little work has been done on the effect of such external parasites as the Mallophaga on the health and vigor of our game birds. Before such an ecological study is undertaken, the investigator should become familiar with the species of lice which are normally found on the various birds. Contrary to much published literature, the author was unable to find many instances of lice infesting birds which were not considered the normal hosts. The only exception encountered was the presence of Cuclotogaster heterographus (Nitzsch), normally found on domestic chickens, on hatchery-reared Ring-necked Pheasants from the California Game Farm, Ontario, Canada, and Ithaca, New York. All host names are from Ridgway and Friedmann, the Birds of North and Middle America, Part X. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals and institutions who loaned material for this study. Bonasa umbellus umbellus (Linnaeus)-Eastern Ruffed Grouse. Goniodes bonasus Emerson, N. Y. Lagopoecus umbellus Emerson, N. Y., Penn.