ANIMAL PARASITES AND MESSMATES. 



68 1 



shores of the Mediterranean, in the neighborhood of Cette and Mont- 

 pellier. Their presence in this locality is due solely to the circum- 

 stance that large numbers of pei'sons of both sexes and all classes 

 come to these places to bathe, and, laying their clothes upon the 

 sand, leave there a part of their vermin. Van Beneden suggests the 

 surgical employment of the flea ^s an homceopathic phlebotomist, and 

 recommends this region as an excellent source of supply in case his 

 suggestion is adopted. The largest fleas are found upon the bat ; 

 they sometimes annoy the horse, and there is a species peculiar to 

 monkeys. 



Fig. 15. Human Flea {Pulex irritam). 



The minute creatures known as Acari, or mites, are most of them 

 parasitic, and they are very Avidely distributed. They are not true 

 insects, but belong to the Araehnida, having four pairs of legs like 

 the spiders, with head and thorax closely united. The group includes 

 those disgusting creatures the itch-mites, magnified representations 

 of which are shown in Figs. 16 and 17. The mammalia have each 



Fig. 10. Sarcoptes Scabiei, or Male 



ACARIUS OF THE ITCH. ThE LoWER 



Surface. 



Fig. 17. Sarcoptes Scabiei, Female. The 

 Upper Surface. 



