APHANIPTERA. 33 



This flea is described by Taschenberg as being short and thick, and 

 yellowish-brown, easily recognisable by the blunt edge with which the 

 vertex passes into the forehead (" leicht kenntlich an der stumpfen 

 Kante, mit welcher der Scheitel in die Stirn iibergeht "). On the 

 under edge of the head stand out from the front to the antennal 

 sockets, on each side, five to six black, blunt spines, and the pronotum 

 also bears the same number on its posterior edge. The abdominal 

 rings have each one row of hairs in their centres. The eye is equally 

 distant from the top and bottom edge of the head ; some bristles are 

 observable in front and behind it. In the anterior legs the four first 

 joints are equally short and thick, the fifth somewhat exceeds the 

 third in length (? " das funfte etwa von der, Lange der drei voranf- 

 gehenden"). In the middle pair, joints three and four like each 

 other, short and thick, the first a little longer, second and fifth more 

 slender, and second a little shorter than fifth ; in posterior pair joints 

 three and four are short and resemble each other, and together are as 

 long as joint two or five, each of which is a third as long again as the 

 first joint. Body length 2 mm."**" It is found also on hares. The 

 same as P. leporis. 



Pulex fasciatus, Bosc. This resembles Scmroriim, but is longer and 

 paler. The pro-thoracic comb has eighteen teeth. No black spines 

 on the head. Found on the rat. 



Genus 2. — Hystrichopsylla, Tasch. 



Head truncate in front ; eyes wanting. Cheeks and clypeus 

 densely spinose, and also some of the abdominal segments. The 

 whole body furnished with extremely numerous bristles and hairs. 



( Pulex talpcE, Bouche. 

 H. obtusiceps, Ritsemri= Pulex fasciatus, Lat. (?) 



( Ceratophyllus talpcc, Curtis. 



General colour ferruginous and shiny ; head also shiny ; the 

 clypeus covered by dark bristles, which hang down and cover the 

 mouth. Thorax small and cylindrical ; pro-thorax dark at the sides. 

 Eyes pale, ovate. i\.ntennce ten-jointed; basal joint ovate; the 

 remaining joints composed of rings, bristles on one side ; on both 

 sides of the basal joint. Maxillary palpi four-jointed, the basal joint 

 longest. Abdomen compressed, each segment being furnished with 

 dark bristles on the posterior margin. In the female the last segment 

 is elongated on each side, forming two discs. The apex is marked 

 by a number of bristles of large size. 



*■ " Insecten-Kunde," vol. v., p. 132. 



3 



