196 



OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



(Fig. 63), closely covered, from the base to near the tip, 

 with minute grooves marking it transversely; at the 

 base these are at right angles to its length, and this 

 direction is preserved till about the middle of the more 



slender part, where they 

 begin to slope towards 



''/////'* *^ e ^P' ^ e inclination 

 ^- **- gradually increasing up 

 to the place where they 

 cease, a little before the 

 tip. At the hinder end 

 of this hard polished 

 body is a funnel-shaped 

 piece running up perpen- 

 dicularly to attach the 

 whole organ to the head. 

 On the front edge of this 

 are the maxillary palpi, 

 differently shaped from 

 those of the bluebottle, 

 being more uniform in 

 diameter throughout, and 

 FiG.63.-Proboscisof^omo^ C aZ- there f O re slenderer and 



citrans. in, maxillary palpi. 



less club-shaped. At the 



tip of the proboscis are the labellse, fringed with hairs, 

 as in the bluebottle ; but they are reduced to very small 

 dimensions, and scarcely exceed the rod-like portion in 

 diameter. This is all that can be seen superficially. 



If, however, the organ be severed from the head and 

 pressed, it is soon discovered to be grooved, and from 

 the groove on the upper surface shoots out a long blade, 

 like that of a penknife, with an exceedingly sharp tip. 

 This lancet is the weapon that does the mischief when 

 the fly settles on one's hand for a draught of blood. 



