﻿nnc-cdotes of the Flea, aiul for figures of the hirva and pupa, 

 to Shaw's Naturalist's Mlscelhniy (plate 178), and shall proceed 

 to explain the dissections at the bottom of our plate. 



A. Rejiresents the head of Pulcx Canis in profile, with the 

 trophi in a natural position. — B. The tropin seen from 

 above. — C. The same from beneath, showing the lip or 

 membrane connecting the base of the labial palpi. — 

 1). One of the niaxilliv, and a palpus attached to it. — 

 E. The trophi in profile, with the niaxilhe and their 

 palpi removed to show the origin of the other organs. — 

 8. The tarsus belonging to a fore leg. 



No insect has been more repeatedly examined, or oftener 

 figuretl than the Flea; yet so incorrectly has it been repre- 

 sented, that most of tlie figures tend only to mislead the in- 

 (juirer : the consequence of which (combined with the difficulty 

 of examining the mouth) has been, that the o])inions enter- 

 tained by authors with regard to its affinities are very un- 

 settled. Having had the good fortune some years since to 

 discover the tongue (which had never been noticed or figured 

 until the publication of the Iiitrudtiction to Kntomol(p^xj\ I 

 have been induced to make further investigations, the result of 

 which has produced a view of the subject different to that 

 which has hitherto been held. 



The cavity behind the eye, which appears to be partly closed 

 by a small lobe that may be distinctly seen to rise and fall, I 

 am disposed to believe is an organ of resjiiration rather than 

 the analogue of the antenna as suspected by my friend INIons. 

 Latreille; and the absence of spiracula^ down the sides of the 

 abdomen strengthens my opinion. Little as we know of the 

 uses of the antenna' beyond the sense of touch, it is impossible 

 to say that the maxillary palpi may not perform in this order 

 the office of antenna*, and that the orifice behind the eye may 

 not be also ailapted to hearing. 



We believe SipJioiuiptcra will be found comiected with the 

 last family of the Homoptcra, and the first of the Diptcra, the 

 absence of wings as well as the structure of the rostrulum being 

 analogous to the former; the habit ot" its larva, its economy, 

 metamorjihosis, and the trojihi being very similar to the latter. 



As there is no doubt but all our wild (juailrupeds have 

 a distinct species of Pulcx belonging to each, we may expect 

 to add many to those already discovered. Our species, the 

 largest I have seen, like the animal it inhabits, has a minute 

 eye, which is oblong and of a ferruginous colour: the specimen 

 figured was taken the latter end of May in Hattersea Fields 

 by Dr. Leach, and Mr. Saiuouelle having no doubt but it is 

 the same as some taken by Mr. \\'eatherhead off a ]Mole in 

 June, I have named it after that animal. 



The plant figured is Aster Tripolium, var. /3. (Sea Starwort), 

 flowers without ray. 



