84 '-^P"'' 



metatlioracic epinieroii is very characteristic. It is very large and pentagonal in 

 shape, the posterior edge being the longest. This is somewhat rouiifled, and bears 

 a series of fourteen strongly chitinised spines arranged in the form of a comb. 

 They differ, however, from those of the prothorax in being genuine spines and not 

 processes of the chitin. The first abdominal tergite is greatly reduced in size, 

 presumably on account of the large development of the nietathoracic epinieron. 

 The first, second, third, and fourth tcrgites bear on each side one short spine* The 

 seventh tergite bears on each side one long apical bristle and two very short hairs 

 close to it. The stcrnites of segments three to seven bear four hairs on each side- 

 The hairs of the fore coxa are rather stout. The first protarsal segment is nearly 

 three times as long as it is broad. The length =^ 2-86 mm. 



A single $ s[)cciuicn of this very distinct species was secured 

 near Cairo from an example of Taphozous perforatvis on January 

 24tb, 1901. 



2. — PULKX NUBICUS, n. sp. 



(Plate II, Figs. lU and 16). 



The palpus reaches to the end of the fore coxa. Tlie hind femur bear* 

 two bristles bene^ith near the apex, a tooth toward.'^ the base, and a suhventral 

 row of hairs. The first segment of the mid tarsus is about two-thirds of the lengtli 

 of the second. The first segment of the hind tarsus is almost a third longer than 

 the second segment, the long apical spine of this tarsal segment almost reaching to 

 the end of the fifth, excluding the claw. The fourth hind tarsal segment is half as 

 long again as it is broad. 'Ihe two processes of the clasper are slender (fig. lOo). 

 The ninth sternite of the male is narrow, curved, and somewhat lanceolate (fig. 106). 

 The plate of the penis is broad, its dorsal edge being straight, and the end obliquely 

 rounded. The female closely resembles that sex of cheopis, but is smaller. It 

 has, moreover, the same long spine to the second hind tarsal segment and the long 

 rostrum so conspicuous in the iiiale. Tlic eighth abdominal sternite bears somewiiat 

 fewer and rather longer bristles than those of cheopis. The subventral row of 

 bristles on the eighth sternite of this last-named species consists of more bristles, 

 and is better defined than that of nubicus. The ventral angle of the hinder edge, 

 moreover, does not project so far in the present species. The length =; 1*86 mm. 



Twenty-one ^ ^ and one ? of this species were secured near 

 Shendi in February and March, 1901, froui Arvicunthis testicularis, 

 4 specimens; Gerhillus rohustus, 15 specimens; Herpustes albicauda, 1 

 specimen ; Genetta dongolana, 2 specimens. 



3. — PULEX CLEOPATRA, 11. sp. 

 (Plate I, Figs. 4, 8 ; Plate II, Figs. 13, 17). 

 A very pale species, with long and slender bristles. The head is strongly 

 rounded, the palpus not reaching to the end of the fore coxa. The abdominal 



* Those spines probably represent vestigial combs, and are pre.sent to a greater or lesser 

 degree in at least three other species of thi.s genus; Ctratopsylla Kni'pectinata (Taschb.), 0, 

 dictactenus, (.Kol.j, and C. inccrta, lloths. 



