MALLOPHAGA 



345 



Goldenberg, the North American Haploplilehium, and several genera 

 from Commentry. Some of them were very large Insects, with 

 robust bodies, and possessed wing-like expansions on the prothorax, 

 and lateral gill-like appendages on the sides of the abdomen. 



It is worthy of note that though so large a number of car- 

 boniferous Neuroptera have now been discovered, no larvae or 

 immature forms have been found. 



We now pass to the consideration of the divisions of Neurop- 

 tera still living. 



Fam. I. Mallophaga Bird-Lice or Biting Lice. 



Small Insects, ivingless, vjith large head; thorax usually of tivo, 

 rarely of one or three segments; 

 prothorax ahvays distinct; hind 

 hody consisting of eight to ten 

 segments, in addition to the pos- 

 terior tivo thoracic segments which 

 usucdly are hut little or not at 

 all separated from it. The meta- 

 morphosis is very slight. The 

 creatures live on the shins of birds 

 or mammals, finding nourishment 

 in the epidermal products. 



The whole of the Insects of this 

 family live a parasitic, or rather epizoic, 

 life. They all creep about those parts 

 that are near to the skin, the feathers 

 of birds or the hair of mammals ; 

 they rarely come quite to the surface, 

 so that they are not detected on a 

 superficial examination. It is curious 

 that under these circumstances they should exhibit so great a 

 variety of form and of anatomical characters as they do. 



They are very depressed, that is, flat. Insects, with a large 

 head, which exhibits a great variety of shape ; frequently it is 

 provided in front of the antennae with some peculiar tubercles 

 called trabeculae, which in some cases are mobile. The antennae 

 are never large, frequently very small ; they consist of from three 

 to five joints, and are sometimes concealed in a cavity on the 



Fig. "214. Trinoton luridum. 

 Lives on the common duck 

 and various species of Anas. 

 (After Giebel.) 



