SNAKES AND BLOODSUCKERS 



as 'Teste de cadeiras," which is conveyed by gadflies. Blowflies lay 

 their eggs on sick, wounded and dying animals, and the maggots 

 increase their sufferings. Human beings also suffer from infections 

 carried by maggots, especially an infection of the nose, known as 

 myasis. 



In the Sertao I was warned that I might have a nocturnal visitor, 

 but it did not appear. This was a large black and red spotted bug, 

 the Barbeiro, compared with which our European bed-bug is a 

 harmless insect. The latter, imported from Europe, is said to infest 

 many houses in southern Brazil; in Pernambuco I saw one only. 

 The Barbeiro is said to give a very painful bite, and to withdraw a 

 considerable amount of blood. Another species of bug conveys a 

 dangerous disease, known as Chagas' disease, after the physician who 

 discovered its cause. In his campaign against the Barbeiro man is 

 assisted by another species of bug, 

 whose larva covers itself with dust and 

 dirt, and in this mask of dirt creeps 

 up to other insects, seizing them un- 

 awares and devouring them. 



Strangely enough, I never saw any- p^^ gg.-Female Sand-flea or 

 thing of two other bloodsuckers, of Jigger {enlarged). Beside it, 

 which many travellers, and more par- the natural size, the foot of a 



1 , . T ^ J 1 I. mouse with sand-flea under 



ticularly naturalists and explorers, have ^^^ ^^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ 



painful experience. One of them is the 



tick, or Garrapato, which is related to the spiders ; it lurks in the 

 bushes, and being brushed off" on to the skin, it sinks its proboscis in 

 its victim's flesh, and sucks his blood until its body swells to the size 

 of a pea. There are also certain red ticks, known as Mucuim or 

 Muidos, which are so small that one simply cannot extract them, 

 and is forced to bear the irritation until they take their departure 

 or die. Many wooded districts are so full of ticks that the traveller 

 is quickly covered with them, as though with a pustular eruption. 



A troublesome inhabitant of Brazil is the Sand-flea, Bicho de pe 

 or Jigger (Fig. 39) . The fertilized female of this insect bores into the 

 feet of human beings, its favourite spot being under a toenail; at 

 first it is hardly visible, but gradually its abdomen grows to the 

 size of a pea. Its presence first makes itself felt by the intolerable 

 itching caused by its digging and bloodsucking activities, but if the 

 Sand-flea is not at once extracted inflammation and suppuration 

 ensue, which may necessitate the amputation of the toe, or may 

 even have fatal results. From Brazil the Sand-flea has been exported 



351 



