( in ) 



Onr SdirojJSijllidae comprise Baker's THii/nchoprionidac and Ilectopsyllidae, 

 Baker's family distinctions being erroneous, as we have pointed out in a paper 

 on the Sarcopsijllidae now in press. Wcyenbergh described one species of this 

 family as Pulex {Ilectops>jlla /) testudo. The species is the same as Fraueufeld'a 

 psittaci. 



1. Hectopsylla psittaci. 



IlectopsyJJa psiitaci Frauenfeld, SHz.-Ber. K. Ah. Wiss., Math. Natiivw. Clause xl. p. 462 (1860). 

 Pulex {[levtnpsijVa ?) testudo Weyenbergli, Feridd. Zool. iii. p. 2G7 (1881). 



RhynehopsyUa pulex, Taschenberg, Die Flohe p. 56. t. 1. fig. G. 6a. 7 (1880) (partim ; II. psittaci = 

 It. pulex, mistake). 



The species is easily recognised by the non-angnlate head, the comparatively 

 short maxillae, which are somewhat curved forward, and by the legs. The fifth seg- 

 ment of the fore- and midtarsi bears on each side seven or eight spines, the number 

 being on the hindtarsns sometimes reduced to six. The two specimens of testudo 

 which we received differ from other specimens in the first hindtarsal segment 

 bearing on the hinder side a pair of bristles beyond the middle, these bristles 

 being, however, absent from one hindtarsus in one of the two specimens. As the 

 individuals which Frauenfeld described as psHtacA have no hindtarsi preserved, it 

 is not possible to say if typical psittaci possess those bristles or not. There are 

 perhaps two geographical races, one inhabiting Chili and Northern Argentina 

 {psittaci = testudo) and the other found in Brazil. However, the material we 

 have is not sufficient to decide the question. 



The insect described by Haller as Rhijnchopsyllits ptclex, though belonging to 

 the genns Ilcctopsylla, is very different from psittaci. 



IF. psittaci has been found on American birds {e.g., Psittacus ; Sfrix perlata). 

 In the aviary of the Zoological Gardens in London the species has been found on 

 Shama and Dhyal birds, the insect doubtless having been introduced with some 

 American bird. 



Family PULICWAE. 

 Genus MALACOPSYLLA. 



M(iUi<;,j,siilhi Weycnbergh, ririuilim Zonl. iii. p. 271 (1881) (type : grossiventris). 

 Miijiipyslh, Baker, .Jnurn. N. York Eiit. Sue. vi. p. 53 (1895) (type : f/rossivciUHs + ar/eiioris). 



The genus was proposed by Weyenbergli for Pulex grossirentris Weyenbergh. 

 This species has not been recognised witli certainty by any of the authors who 

 have written on the genns MalacopSjiUa. We have a male &nA tfio females ixora 

 Weyenbergh's collection, and j ossess also types or cotypes of all the other species 

 hitherto described, and are therefore able to revise the genus. We propose giving 

 a short review of what has been written about this genus after Weyenbergh's 

 publications. The first author who had an opportunity of examining specimens of 

 Malaco},.v/ll<i was Baker (1808). Not being aware that there was a valid generic 

 name fur these peculiar Siphonaptera, Baker created the generic title Mcgapstjlla 

 for the same, basing his description on what he called Pulex grossiccnti-is Weyenb. 

 This grossiventris of Baker, however, consisted of two species, one with a thoracic 

 comb and one without such a comb. Baker erroneously believed this difference to 

 be sexual, his female having a comb and his male being without it. We pointed 



