( .')41 ) 



fair number of examples, chiefly on Stwex vidgaris. This year he took a single 

 specimen at Hanover on the same host. 



4. Typhlopsylla pentacanthus (PI. XVa. fig. ;5 i). 



T.peiilawiilhus Rothschild, Enl. ];e,unl IX. p. Co (1SI9'^) (Tring). 



The front of the head is scarcely rounded. Before the antenual groove there 

 are six moderately long hairs. At tlie posterior edge of the gena are five spines of 

 nneijual length. The tirst four gradually increase in length. The fifth spine is 

 somewhat smaller than the others, and is in the same position as the tubercle in 

 T. cKjyrtes; it is, in fact, probably homologous with it. The back of the head bears 

 three rows of bristles. The maxillary as well as the labial palpi are remarkable 

 for their great length. 



The pronotnm bears a row of alternately arranged long and short bristles; at 

 its posterior margin is a comb of foiirteeii teeth. 



The mesonotum bears two rows of hairs. The tirst row consists of short hairs, 

 and the second one of alternately arranged long and short ones. The episternum 

 (+ ei)imeron) is_a large plate, the shape of which can be seen from the figure; it 

 bears five or six hairs. 



The metauotum, like the mesonotum, bears two rows of hairs. The episternum 

 is a small conical plate bearing two or three hairs. The epimeron is large, and 

 beare ftjur long hairs. 



The first seven tergitcs of the abdomen bear, as usual, two rows of bristles. 

 The first of these rows consists of small bristles of a uniform size. The second row 

 contains alternately arranged long and short bristles. The number of these bristles 

 api)ears to vary somewhat according to individuals. 



At the posterior edges of Iwth sides of the first four tergites in the male there 

 are two small spines placed close to the middle line. In the male also there is 

 a single spine at the posterior edges of the fifth and sixth tergites. In the female 

 the two spines are present on the first two tergites only, the next three tergites 

 having one sjiine only. On the sixth tergite in the female there is no spine. The 

 long hairs at the posterior edge of the seventh tergite which are so characteristic 

 of many fleas are absent in the male. In the female there are two long hairs on 

 each side in this position. The enlarged eighth sternite in the male bears five long 

 hairs at its posterior edge. The moveable portion of the ninth tergite resembes the 

 same portion in Tf/phlopsi/lla gracilis Taschbg.: see PI. XVII. f. 16. The enlarged 

 eighth tergite of the female bears numerous hairs near its ventral edge, many more 

 being present than in T. ayyrtes. 



Length 1-95— 2-77 mm. 



Ilah. Mustela vulgaris, Mas gih-atiois, and Taljja europaea, Tring; Musfela 

 vulgaris, Boxmoor.* 



This species appears to be rare. It was tirst taken by Mr. Albert Pitfanl at 

 Boxmoor, Herts, in 1893, who secured three specimens from a weasel (Mustela 

 ndqaris). This insect, though recognized as new by Mr. Edward Saunders, was 

 not described. In addition to the three original examples I had seven specimens 

 taken at Tring, Herts, and Mr. Edward Saunders has two more from another locality. 

 Hitherto this species has not been recorded from the Continent. The above-mentioned 

 twelve specimens are, as far as I know, all the recorded examples of this very 

 distinct insect. 



• Mr. A. I'illaixl. 



38 



