1905.] 255 



A NEW BRITISH FLEA: CERATOPHYLLUS FARRENI, Spec. Nov. 

 BY THE HON. N. CHARLES EOTHSCHILD, M.A., F.L.9. 

 Plate VIII. 

 This is a very pale species. It is nearest to 0. //allince, Schrank, 

 and fringillcB, Walk., but is easily recognised by the modified abdo- 

 minal segments and the legs. 



The tubercle of the frons is prominent. The comb of the pronotum consists 

 of 26 to 28 teeth. The mesonotum bears two rows of bristles and a very few short 

 hairs in addition, besides a subapical row of slender spines, six on each side. 



The abdominal tergites bear two rows of bristles, the anterior row being repre- 

 sented on the seventh tergite bj two or three bristles only. The first four tergites 

 have on each side respectively 2, 3, 2, 1 apical spines. The seventh tergite has one 

 long apical bristle, accompanied in the J by two minute hairs, and in the ? by two 

 shoi't bristles which are nearly equal in length, being about one-fourth the length of 

 the long one. The sternites of segments 3 to 7 have in the ^ three bristles on each 

 side, there being in addition a short hair proximally of them on the posterior ster- 

 nites ; in the $ the number of bristles on sternites 3 to 6 is usually four. 



The fore femur has on the outer side eleven lateral bristles irregularly placed, 

 while there are two bristles on the inner surface, besides a subapical ventral one. 



The mid femur bears a lateral row of sis bristles on the inner side and three 

 bristles on the outer side. The hind femur has on the outer side from two to four 

 bristles, while there is a lateral row of seven or eight on the inner side. The hind 

 tibia has on the outer side a subdorsal row of seven or eight bristles, the row not 

 being quite regular ; the inner side bears an oblique lateral row of six or seven. 



$ . The large lateral lobe of the eighth tergite is nearly square, the distal 

 angles being rounded off. The lobe is a little wider distally than proximally. The 

 tuberculate area situated along the dorsal edge on the inner surface is narrower. 

 There are fourteen long bristles at the dorsal edge of the lobe and two on the 

 lateral surface, besides one standing near the ventral edge. The eighth sternite 

 resembles that of gallincB. It bears at the top about eight long bristles, and imme- 

 diately in front of them on eacli side one short bristle. The apical membranous 

 flap which projects dorsally is narrower, and is of the same shape as in gallincB. The 

 process of the clasper is long and narrow, while the finger is broad. 



(Fig. A). The finger bears two long bristles at the distal (ventral) edge, 

 standing rather close together. There is also a short bristle at the apex, besides 

 some minute hairs ; and there is a row of short hairs near the proximal (dorsal) 

 edge. The vertical arm of the ninth sternite is broader than in galllncB and 

 J'ringillcB, while the proximal lobe of the ventral (horizontal) arm is broader, and 

 the bristles at the proximal angle of the distal portion of this ventral arm are more 

 numerous than in both gallince {rndfringillce. 



? . The seventh sternite (Fig. B) is deeply sinuate. It bears a row of six or 

 seven long bristles, and proximally of them about fifteen short ones. The eighth 

 tergite has dorsally above the stigma on each side ten to twelve hairs arranged in 

 two irregular rows. Beneath the stigma, along the oblique dorsal margin of the 



