26 



AN ACCOUNT OF BRITISH HIES. 



it seems improbable that they can all find human hosts, or even 

 sufficient vertebrates of any kind. 



It is said that the species that is found in the dog is different to 

 the one found in man. Whether the species in Africa is different 

 to that in America I do not know. 



This was the insect that Waterton found so troublesome during 

 his " Wanderings." 



Atiaiotny of the larva of Pulex. 

 In all the species there is a slight difference in the form of the 

 larvae, but the general arrangement is the same. The type we take is 



Fig. 4. — Head of Larva of P. felis. — is, upper lip ; a, antenna; ; /;/, maxillae ; 

 mb, mandibles ; ///, pharynx ; A, maxillce, and B, mandibles, greatly enlarged. 



the larva of P. felis, parasitic on the cat. This subject has been 

 fully worked out by Laboulbene and Kunckel, and their researches 

 published in the " Annals of the Entomological Society of France " 

 (2 and 3). The larva, which may attain the length of a quarter of 

 an inch, is usually of a whitish colour, and in some cases so trans- 

 parent as tO' allow the alimentary canal to be examined through the 

 integuments (Fig. i). 



The number of body-segments is thirteen, and each is armed by 

 a few setaceous hairs. The last segment is armed also by two 

 strong recurved claws. The head is corneous, and presents certain 

 peculiarities. The antennae are a fair size ; their structure can be 

 seen from the figure (4). There is also developed a pair of maxillae, 

 with serrated edges, and also a pair of mandibles. The large upper 



