124 GENERATION OF INSECTS 
they greatly resemble the common crane in shape and 
color, though smaller and more slender, having besides 
two long white tufts on the head, which makes me think 
that they belong to the species of Balearic cranes. 
All the foreign birds, kept in the above mentioned 
gardens, have been examined by my order; but at no 
time were any lice found on ostriches; a stork also was 
exempt, but that may have been mere chance, as there 
was only one stork, but there were twelve ostriches, 
which had lately come from Barbary. The size of the 
lice does not correspond to the size of the bird, as large 
birds have both large and small lice, and likewise small 
birds have large lice, as I recall having found lice in 
blackbirds, which were not inferior in size to those of 
the stork. 
Now when the lice are observed from above, the 
mouth is not seen, but when they are turned over it 
appears plainly, situated on the part of the head, turned 
to the ground; it is fashioned like a pair of pincers, 
similar to those arming the mouth of the wood-worm. 
If you will take the trouble to look at plate 8, you will 
see this portrayed in the engraving of the swan's louse. 
The different kinds of lice are indeed so varied and so 
peculiar, that instead of making a tedious enumeration 
of them, I have preferred to show you some drawings 
of them, made at my request by Sig. F. Pizzichi, which 
I subsequently had engraved in the best manner possible 
and consistent with the brief time at my disposal. As re- 
gards the color of lice, it is very similar to that of the 
bird's feathers, which they inhabit; but experience has 
taught me and I firmly believe, that when the lice hatch 
from the nits they are all white, but afterwards with 
growth they slowly become colored, retaining however 
