FLEA. 
459 
sect. Nothing can exceed the curious disposition 
and polished elegance of the shelly armour with 
which the animal is covered; nor can the structure 
of the legs be contemplated without admiration. 
All these particulars however are so well repre- 
sented in the accompanying figures as to supersede 
the necessity of any long verbal description: they 
are taken from the exquisite engravings of Roesel, 
and will’ be found greatly to surpass in point of 
minute accuracy even the celebrated figure of 
Dr. Hook, so much admired in its day, and so 
often copied into the works of succeeding natur- 
alists. 
Though it would perhaps be difficult to prove 
that there exists in Europe more than one genuine 
species of Flea, yet it is certain that some per- 
manent varieties or races may be traced, which 
a practised eye can readily distinguish from the 
common domestic kind. Of these the most re- 
markable seems to be that infesting some of the 
smaller quadrupeds, and particularly Mice and 
Bats. This variety is of a more slender form than 
the common Flea and of a paler colour, differing 
from that insect nearly in the same proportion 
that a greyhound does from the more common 
race of dogs. 
Pulex penetrans or Chigger is a native of South- 
Anierica and the AVest Indian islands. Accord- 
ing to Catesby’s microscopic figure of this insect, 
it may properly be arranged under the present 
genus; but it is probable, from the different de- 
scriptions of authors, that some insects of the 
