82 THE FLEA [CH. 



between is exposed to view. In the extreme case 

 of Dermatophilus ccecata from South America the 

 abdomen swells until it completely envelopes the 

 head and thorax after the manner shown in Fig. 8. 

 Dr Enderlein found seventeen specimens of this 

 species in the skin behind the ears of a rat from 

 Brazil. 



The belief that the eggs are laid in the flesh of 

 the victim is mistaken. The hind segments of the 

 body and their stigmata are always exposed to the 

 air. The stigma of the eighth abdominal segment is 

 particularly large. As soon as the eggs have been 

 laid, the body of the mother dies, withers, and falls 

 away from the skin of the host. The fact that several 

 females are often found where one has buried herself, 

 led to the notion that these parasites bred in the 

 wound. The truth seems to be that other chigoes 

 are attracted to a spot where inflammation has made 

 it easy to burrow. 



Chigoes love warmth and drought. The deserted 

 huts of natives swarm with them if they are dry. It 

 is always said that newcomers are more liable to 

 attack than natives; but the explanation of this 

 seems to be that they do not understand the signifi- 

 cance of the slight pricks which are felt when the 

 chigoe fixes itself. Once the parasite has got under 

 the skin no pain is felt unless the wound is inflamed 

 by scratching. The tender flesh under toe-nails is a 



