310 PULICIDuE — FLEAS. 



some handfuls of wool from thorns and briars, and wrapping 

 it up, he holds it fast in his mouth, then goes by degrees 

 into a cold river, and dipping himself close by little and 

 little, when he finds that all the Fleas are crept so high as 

 his head for fear of drowning, and so for shelter crept into 

 the wool, he barks and spits out the wool, full of Fleas, and 

 so very froliquely being delivered from their molestation, he 

 swims to land."^ 



Ramsay thus alludes to this story : 



Then sure tlie lasses, and ilk gaping coof, 



Wad rin about him, and had out their loof. 



M. As fast as fleas skip to the tale of woo, 



Whilk slee Tod Lowrie (the fox) hads without his mow, 



When he to drown them, and his hips to cool, 



In summer days slides backward in a pool.^ 



Preceding this story, Mouffet makes the following observa- 

 tions : " The lesser, leaner, and younger they are, the sharper 

 they bite, the fat ones being more incliQed to tickle and 

 play; and then are not the least plague, especially when in 

 greater numbers, since they molest men that are sleeping, and 

 trouble wearied and sick persons; from whom they escape by 

 skipping ; for as soon as they find they are arraigned to die, and 

 feel the finger coming, on a sudden they are gone, and leap 

 here and there, and so escape the danger; but so soon as 

 day breaks, they forsake the bed. They then creep into the 

 rough blankets, or hide themselves in rushes and dust, lying 

 in ambush for pigeons, hens, and other birds, also for men 

 and dogs, moles and mice, and vex such as passe by."^. 



It is frequently affirmed that asses are never troubled with 

 Fleas or other vermin; and, among the superstitious, it is 

 said that it is all owing to the riding of Christ upon one of 

 these animals.* 



Willsford, in his jS'ature's Secrets, printed 1658, p. 130, 

 says : " The little sable beast (called a Flea), if much thirst- 

 ing after blood, it argues rain."^ 



It is related that the Devil, teasing St. Domingo in the 

 shape of a Flea, skipped upon his book, when the saint 



1 Thcatr. Ins., p. 102. 



2 Ramsay's Poems, ii. 143. 

 8 Theatre of Insects, p. 102. 



* Brookes' Kat. Hist, of Ins., p. 284. 



* Brand's Fop. Antiq.,'\n. 204. 



