MALLOPHAGA 



345 



Goldenberg, the Xorth American Haplophlcbium, and several genera 

 from Commentry. Some of them were very large Insects, with 

 robust bodies, and possessed wing-like expansions on the prothorax, 

 and lateral gill-like appendages on the sides of the abdomen. 



It is worthy of note that though so large a number of car- 

 boniferous Neuroptera have now been discovered, no larvae or 

 immature forms have been found. 



We now pass to the consideration of the divisions of K 1 europ- 

 tera still living. 



Fam. I. Mallophaga Bird-Lice or Biting Lice. 



Small Insects, wingless, with large head ; thorax usually of two, 

 rarely of one or three segments; 

 prothorax always distinct; hind 

 body consisting of eight to ten 

 segments, in addition to the pos- 

 terior two thoracic segments which 

 usually are but little or not at 

 all separated from it. The meta- 

 morphosis is very slight. The 

 creatures live on the skins of birds 

 or mammals, finding nourishment 

 in the epidermal products. 



The whole of the Insects of this 

 family live a parasitic, or rather epizoic, 

 life. They all creep about those parts 

 that are near to the skin, the feathers 

 of birds or the hair of mammals : 



FIG. 214. Trinoton lundum. 



they rarely come quite to the surface, Lives on the common duck 

 so that they are not detected on a f, 1 !^ 011 , 8 ?v ecies of Anas - 



. . . (After Giebel.) 



superficial examination. It is curious 



that under these circumstances they should exhibit so great a 



variety of form and of anatomical characters as they do. 



They are very depressed, that is, flat, Insects, with a large 

 head, which exhibits a great variety of shape ; frequently it is 

 provided in front of the antennae with some peculiar tubercles 

 called trabeculae, which in some cases are mobile. The antennae 

 are never large, frequently very small ; they consist of from three 

 to five joints, and are sometimes concealed in a cavity on the 



