[Mallophaga from birds and mammals in zoological gardens]

Almost 1,850 Mallophagen individuals from 95 host species (birds and mammals) most of which from the Zoological Gardens in łódź and Wrocław (both in Poland) have been investigated. As regards bird biting lice Amblyceran species were found to be more frequent than Ischnoceran ones. The great majority of species and individuals of Mallophaga were host-specific. Stragglers were mainly found on relatively big birds. The "populations" of bird biting lice in the two Zoological Gardens were found to be of smaller quantity and poorer quality than in free nature. Differences of that kind could not be observed with biting lice of mammals.