THE COMMON FLEA. 53P 



priclvles. Bj means of this the Louse feeds; and, when it is eagaged 

 in sucking any animal, the blood may be seen, through the trans- 

 parency of its external covering, to rush like a torrent into thft 

 Btomach. Through the skin its stomach and intestines are visible, aa 

 well as the ramifications of the tracheae or respiratory tubes, which 

 appear dispersed, in a beautiful manner, throughout various parta 

 of the animal. 



Scarcely any creature multiplies so quickly as this unweicome 

 ihtrud'^r. It has been asserted that a Louse becomes a grandfather 

 in the space of twenty-four hours. This fact caniujt be asceitained; 

 but nothing is more true than that the moment the nit, which is no 

 other than the egg of the Louse, gets rid of its superfluous moisture, 

 and throws off its shell, it begins in its turn to breed. Kothing so 

 much prevents the increase of this nauseous animal, as cold, and 

 want of humidity. 



OF THE FLEAS IN GENERAL. 



The mouth of these insects is without either jaws or feelers: it has 

 only a long, inflected proboscis, which conceals a single bristle. The 

 antennae are beaded; the abdomen is compressed sideways; and the 

 legs are six in number, and formed for leaping. 



The larvce are white, cylindrical, and without feet, but are very 

 active little creatures. Under the tail there are two small spines. 

 The chrysalis is motionless, but in appearance is not unlike the pel- 

 feet insect. The two following species are all that have been yet 

 discovered. 



THE COMMON FLEA. 



Notwithstanding the general disapprobation of this insect, it has 

 ^^ certainly something pleasing in its ap- 



pearance. When examined with a micro- 

 scope, it will be seen to have a small head, 

 large eyes, and two short, four-jointed 

 antennae, between which is situated the 

 trunk, or proboscis. The body appears 

 enveloped in a shelly armor, which la 

 always clean and bright: this is beset at 

 the segments with many sharp bristles. 

 All the motions of this insect indicate agility and elegance; and its 

 muscular power is so extraordinary aa justly to excite our wonder. 

 We know no animal whose muscular strength can be put in compe- 

 tition with that of a Flea; for, on a moderate computation, it is known 

 to leap to a distance of at least two hundred times its own length. 



There is no proportion between the power and tlie size of the 

 insect tribes. Had man an equal degree of strength, bulk for bulk, 

 with a Louse or a Flea, the history of Samson would no longer b« 



THE COMMON nx4. 



