( 553 ) 



Five species are now laiowii, four of which were formerl}' united in colli'eti<ins 

 under the name of P. gracilis Tiisch. 



The specimens obtained in Portugal prove to belong to a new species, the 

 sixth of the genus. It is one of that section of Falaeopsylla in which the movable 

 linger of the clasping organs of the i is inserted at a considerable distance from 

 the manubrium. 



The long spine of the genal comb lies above the genal process, the apex of 

 the latter not being covered by the spine ; and the next genal spine (the second 

 from below) is sharply pointed, resembling the long spine in shape except for 

 the base being longer and the apex less drawn oat. The spines of the pronotal 

 comb are straight and pointed, and not at all curved upwards. The antepygidial 

 bristle is as long as the longest geual spine (measured along its hind or dorsal 

 edge). The tibiae bear two or three minute hairs at the anterior edge, apart 

 from the snbapical pair, and no additional hairs near that edge. The himltarsus 

 is long, especially the first segment, which equals in length (or nearly) the distance 

 from the tip of the long geual spine to the frontal tubercle, being one-third longer 

 than the finger of the clasper. The only trenchant differences from the allied 

 species are found in the modified posterior abdominal segments. 



Modified Segments. — S. The eighth sternite is beneath so excised at each 

 side that a central ventral lobe is formed, which is strongly chitinised, and appears 



Fig. 2. 



very sharply pointed in a lateral aspect (text-fig. 2). The ninth tergite projects 

 but slightly inward. The clasper bears about fifteen small hairs near and at 

 the dorsal margin and one longer bristle near the apex, there being one long 

 bristle at the ventral margin, as is usual in this genus. The finger (F) is inserted 

 at a considerable distance from the base of the manubrium, and is straight. Its 

 apex is evenly and strongly rounded ventrally and only a little less rounded 

 dorsally. There are three rather stout, short, and very pale bristles dorsally 

 at the aj)ex and three thinner ones ventrally below the apex, the ventral margin 

 bearing in addition a small bristle on each side at the distal third, and the dorsal 

 margin three placed at about one-fourth, one-half, and three-fourths, there being 

 a few more small bristles near the apex on the lateral surfaces. The apex of 

 the vertical arm of the ninth sternite is triangular with a lateral projection 



