THE MOLE-FLEA, 595 



which is as much disproportioned to the size of its body as 

 would be one of Pickford's largest and heaviest-laden waggons 

 to a human being. With the leaping powers of the Flea we 

 are likewise familiar, though perhaps we have not reflected 

 that the average jump of a Flea is about thirty times its own 

 height, and that, supposing a man of six feet in stature were to 

 perform the same leap, he would jump as high as the gallery of 

 the Monument. 



There are many species of Flea known to entomologists. 

 Mr. Westwood states that the largest specimen that he has seen 

 was captured on that curious animal, the Echidna, or Porcupine 

 Ant-eater, of Australia. This insect measured no less than 

 one-sixth of an inch in length, which is to most Fleas what a 

 man of twelve feet in height would be to ordinary human beings. 

 One of the largest Fleas that inhabit this country is that which 

 is parasitic on the mole, and is therefore called Fulex ialpce. 

 A portrait of this odd-looking insect is given on Woodcut LXIX. 

 Fig. 1. At Fig. a is shown the mentum or chin of the Mole 

 Flea, with its palpus at either side, and its apparatus of 

 lancets in the middle. The profile view of the head is 

 given at Fig. 6, so as to show these organs in a different posi- 

 tion. One of the palpi is shown at Fig. c, as it appears when 

 severed from the head, and the foot is drawn at Fig. d. 



The Common Flea {Pulex ivritans) is shown at Fig. 2 of 

 the same illustration, and the reader can easily see how 

 different are these two species, even in external appearance. 

 The mentum, palpi, and lancets are shown at Fig. /. 



Besides these, almost every animal has its own species of 

 Flea, each of which has some characteristic points in which it 

 differs from its congeners, and can be recognised with the aid 

 of the microscope. Fortunately, in this country we have no 

 Flea which can inflict any real damage on us. It can annoy 

 us terribly, but there its power ceases. In the West Indies, 

 however, there is a Flea, j)opularly called the Jigger, or 

 Chigoe {Pulex ^penetrans), which makes its way under the 

 skin, especially of the toes, lays its eggs there, and, if it be 

 suffered to proceed in its task unmolested, fearful ulcers come, 



Q Q 2 



