16 [BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Powder, which is a preparation from the flowers of a plant, is 

 often used to expel fleas both from carpets and the fur or 

 hair of animals. It appears to be particularly obnoxious to 

 them. But after applying the powder to an animal it should 

 soon after be thoroughly washed off. 



It often happens that there are really but few fleas, perhaps 

 less than a half dozen, in a room that is supposed to be over- 

 run by them ; for owing to their habit of biting repeatedly, a 

 single one may do the mischief attributed to a large number. 

 In such cases a careful search for and capture of the of- 

 fenders will soon remedy the evil. When caught, a drop or 

 two of benzine will kill them instantly. 



The Sheep-Tick, Forest-Flies or Horse-Ticks, etc. 



HlPPOBOSCID-SJ. 



These are degraded Dipterous parasites, and must not be 

 confounded with the true ticks, which have eight legs. Some 

 of them are destitute of wings, like the sheep-tick ; others 

 have long, narrow, simple wings, like the species infesting the 

 horse, and those of the swallow and other birds, bats, etc. 

 The body is flattened from above, and is hard and firm, with 

 a horn-like or leathery texture. The head is somewhat 

 sunken into the front edge of the thorax, without a distinct 

 neck. The antennae or feelers are Tery small and near to- 

 gether. The eyes are large and often occupy most of the 

 sides of the head. The proboscis consists of two lateral, nar- 

 row, elongated, bristly plates (regarded as maxilla by some 

 authors), which project in front of the head. Below and 

 between the bases of these there is a small orifice from which, 

 when about to draw blood, three, long, slender, piercing 

 organs are protruded; but these can be withdrawn when not 

 in use. These are unequal in size, but equal in length. The 

 lower one, which is largest and channeled along the upper 

 side and dilated at base, receives the two smaller ones into 

 its groove. These organs penetrate deeply into the skin, 

 and through the channel formed by the setae the blood is 

 sucked up. 



They live like lice among the feathers of birds or hairs of 



