204 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
Like all fleas, it abounds mostly in shady places; under old houses, on 
earthen floors, and in all dusty, untidy spots. Hence from analogy when 
some years ago my attention was called to the subject by poultry breeders, 
I advised to have all such places closed up, and to deprive their fowls of 
all shade except such places as could be rained upon. Those who acted 
on this advice were rewarded. Losses from this cause were reduced to a 
minimum. It was also seen that animals frequenting wet spots in summer 
were exempt from the pests. 
The life-history of this flea is yet to be written. So far as facts go, they 
are too few and obscure to base satisfactory conclusions upon. 
First observed to infest young animals such as chickens, turkeys, kit- 
tens, puppies, and even calves and colts and children I proposed for it 
the name Pulex pullulornm; but whilst it is true the young suffer most, 
because possibly less able to defend themselves, it is by no means confined 
to them. 
In general appearance, size, color, and form greatly resembling a flea, 
popular observation notices one considerable difference it does not hop. 
Closely examined, we find the femoral portion of the third pair of legs 
but slightly developed. Hence its motions resemble more the crawling of 
a wingless fly than of our well-known active jumper. 
In its habits of feeding it differs /rom the ordinary flea. Instead of mak- 
ing an incision at which -to lap blood, and from 'which it may quickly re- 
move to another spot, our Florida variety plants itself where it intends to 
stay, like a tick. As to the males, I cannot say. Much of my information 
is second-hand. The notion that these do not bite, which prevails with 
some persons, or at least that they do not stick, may be an error. Of the 
females, however, it is certain they bury themselves in the skin of their 
victims. From the first, they hold on with such tenacity that no ordinary 
brushing will remove them. It seems to be at this stage in their existence 
that impregnation takes place. The males now are often seen in copula 
with them, and so remain apparently for days, or until the tumefaction of 
the skin excited by the imbedded. female closes around her so as to shove 
him off. 
Here ends about all actually known of this history. 
From analogy, we may infer that, the period of gestation being com- 
pleted, the gravid female lays her eggs in this well-prepared nidus, or, more 
particularly, that they remain and are hatched in her distended stomach, 
after which the larvae crawl out and drop to the ground. If in a dry, shady 
spot they undergo transformation to the perfect form ; if in a wet spot or 
in the sun they perish. 
Upon man, I have never heard of the process continuing to the end. The 
itching caused by it generally attracts attention sufficiently to have the in- 
truder hunted out. With the lower animals it is different most notedly 
with chickens. Spots bare of feathers, or nearly so, are selected in prefer- 
ence. A small knot resembling a wart grows over the insect, and so nu- 
merous and large at times as to spread over the eyes and into the jaws ; 
