Bird-lice

Bird-lice, a popular name for a family of insects (Mallophaga), often placed beside other lice in the order Hemiptera. These external parasites are louse-like in form, usually with a distinctly separated front ring in the breast region (prothorax), with 3-5 jointed antennae, with biting mouth organs, and more or less of a sucking mouth. They live on the skin of birds and mammals, and eat young feathers and hairs, and also blood. Trichodectes canis, Philopterus versicolor, Liotheum anseris, Menopon pallidum, are common species. See LOUSE.