334 THE LOWER AMAZONS. Chap. VII. 



on my neck, wiist, and ankles, and on looking for the 

 cause, saw a number of tiny objects having a disgusting 

 resemblance to lice, adhering to the skin. This was 

 my introduction to the much-talked of Pium, On 

 close examination, they are seen to be minute two- 

 winged insects, with dark-coloured body and pale legs 

 and wings, the latter closed lengthwise over the back. 

 They alight imperceptibly, and squatting close, fall at 

 once to work ; stretching forward their long front legs, 

 which are in constant motion and seem to act as feelers, 

 and then applying their short, broad snouts to the skin. 

 Their abdomens soon become distended and red with 

 blood, and then, their thirst satisfied, they slowly move 

 off, sometimes so stupefied with their potations that 

 they can scarcely fly. No pain is felt whilst they are 

 at work, but they each leave a small circular raised 

 spot on the skin and a disagreeable irritation. The 

 latter may be avoided in great measure by pressing 

 out the blood which remains in the spot ; but this is 

 a troublesome task when one has several hundred punc- 

 tures in the course of a day. I took the trouble to 

 dissect specimens to ascertain the way in which the 

 little pests operate. The mouth consists of a pair of 

 thick fleshy lips, and two triangular horny lancets, 

 answering to the upper lip and tongue of other insects. 

 This is applied closely to the skin, a puncture is made 

 with the lancets, and the blood then sucked through 

 between these into the oesophagus, the circular spot 

 which results coinciding with the shape of the lips. In 

 the course of a few days the red spots dry up, and the 

 skin in time becomes blackened with the endless num- 



