PHYLUM ARTHROPODA 



341 



FIG. 265. Order CORRODENTIA. A 

 bark-louse, Psocus. (From Brehm.) 



food, and raise the young, and wingless soldiers (D) whose duty 

 it is to protect the colony. The food of termites consists prin- 

 cipally of dead wood, and in the tropics of Africa and South 

 America, where white ants abound, a good deal of damage is 

 done to houses, furniture, etc. Even in North America injuries 

 to the timbers in buildings and 

 to books in libraries have been 

 reported. The termites work 

 only in the dark, and build 

 tunnels for this purpose. Their 

 nests are often inhabited by 

 other species of insects; these 

 are called termitophiles. Over 

 one hundred species of termi- 

 tophiles have been recorded. 



Order 6. Corrodentia. 

 BOOK-LICE AND BARK-LICE 



(Fig. 265). Insects without wings or with four membranous 

 wings, with few cross veins; fore-wings larger than hind wings; 

 wings held roof-like over body ; biting mouth- 

 parts; metamorphosis incomplete. 



Book-lice are wingless insects often found 

 in old books, the paper and bindings of w r hich 

 they devour. Bark-lice (Fig. 265) have 

 wings. They live out of doors on tree 

 trunks and feed on lichens. 



Order 7. Mallophaga. BITING BIRD- 

 LICE (Fig. 266). Parasitic insects without 

 wings; biting mouth-parts; metamorphosis 

 incomplete. 



Bird-lice live among the feathers of birds 

 or hair of mammals. They eat hair, feathers, 

 and epidermal scales, but are not injurious 

 on this account. The irritation caused by 

 their sharp claws makes their hosts restless 



\ 



FIG. 266. Order 

 MALLOPHAGA. Biting 

 bird-louse, Menopon 

 pallidum, inhabiting 

 the common fowl. 

 (From Sedgwick's 

 Zoology, after Piaget.) 



