206 



APHANIPTERA, OR FLEA-TRIBE. ANOPLURA, OR 



is known to every one. There is a very curious species, of more 

 minute size, in the West Indies; which is commonly known 

 under the name of Chigoe or Jigger. This burrows beneath the 

 skin of the foot, and soon acquires the size of a pea, by the 

 enormous growth of the abdomen when distended with eggs. 

 If these eggs remain to be hatched beneath the skin, great irrita- 

 tion, and even very troublesome sores, are sure to result ; and it is 

 consequently necessary to extract the insect entire, with great 

 care, as soon as the indication of its presence is given by a slight 

 itching or tingling. 



ORDER X. ANOPLURA. 



736. THE Insects of this Order, the Louse and its allies, 

 are regarded with the greatest disgust by the common consent of 

 civilized Man ; because their presence on the body is usually an 

 indication of a gross want of cleanliness of habit. Most of the 

 lower animals, however, are infested with one or more species ; 

 from the attacks of which they are not able to defend themselves ; 

 and Man is subject to a peculiar disease, which seems much to 

 favour their production. They undergo no metamorphosis ; and 

 their generations succeed 

 each other very rapidly. 

 They are destitute of the 

 true compound eyes ; but 

 have one or two minute 

 ocelli on each side of the 

 head. The legs are short, 

 and terminated by a strong 

 nail, or by two opposing 

 hooks ; whereby these ani- 

 mals can easily fasten 

 themselves to the hairs of 

 quadrupeds, or the feathers of birds ; of which animals they 

 suck the blood, and upon the bodies of which they pass their 

 lives; attaching their eggs, too, upon these cutaneous appendages. 



-I 



FIG. 432 a, THE COMMON LOUSE ; b, magni- 

 fied ; c, one of the legs magnified ; d, eggs ; 

 e, ditto magnified. 



