29 THROUGH ANGOLA 



but occasionally in the interior. The female of 

 this flea, about a pin's head in size, burrows into 

 the skin, especially of the fingers and toes, to 

 develop her eggs. She rapidly increases in size 

 to form an irritable swelling the size of a pea. 



Natives are very skilful in extracting the dis- 

 tended mother flea without scattering its eggs in 

 the wound, and they should be consulted if any 

 suspicious lumps are noticed on the toes and fingers. 



There are two kinds of scorpion in Angola, one 

 yellow and the other black ; the latter is the bigger 

 and more deadly. One black scorpion caught 

 measured 7 inches in length, and looked like a 

 young lobster as lie walked slowly down a path. 



I have been twice stung by scorpions, once very 

 lightly on the neck and the second time deeply in 

 the pulp of a finger. On the latter occasion, the 

 pain, which was intense, continued for several hours, 

 and was followed by a numbness in the whole of 

 the arm, lasting a fortnight. Adults stung by the 

 bigger of the black scorpions may suffer temporary 

 but complete paralysis of their legs, and children 

 have even died from the effects of stints. 



It is well to shake out boots, slippers, and even 

 clothes before putting them on. and if stung, lo 

 cut into the wound and rub in strong permanganate 

 or ammonia solution as for snake bii r \ and place 

 a ligature above the wound if this can be done. 



Few centipedes are met, but the harmless 

 brown millipedes, 6 to 8 inches long, were common, 

 and their still more numerous bleached and curled- 

 up shells showed how many hnd f nil en victims to 

 the annual forest fires. 



