THE LOUSE. 



Description. 



and there several bristly hairs ; in the fore-part 

 is a proboscis^ or sucker, which is seldom visible : 

 on each side of the head are two antennae, or 

 horns, each divided irito five joints, covered with 

 bristly hair ; and several other white vessels are 

 seen through these horns; behind these are the 

 eyes, which seem to want those divisions observ- 

 able in other insects, and appear encompassed 

 with some few hairs; the neck is very shoit, and 

 the breast is divided into three parts; on each 

 side of which are placed six legs, consisting of 

 six joints, covered also with bristly hairs; the 

 ends of the legs are armed with a large and a 

 small ruddy claw, serving them as a finger and 

 thumb, by which they catch hold of such objects 

 as they approach; the end of the body terminates 

 in a cloven tail, while the sides are covered with 

 hair, the whole resembling clear parchment, and^ 

 when roughly pressed, cracking with a noise. 



The louse has neither beak, teeth, nor any kind 

 of mouth. In the place of all those it has a pro- 

 boscisj or trunk ; or as it may otherwise be called, 

 a pointed hollow sucker, with which it pierces 

 the skin, and sucks the human blood; taking that 

 alone for food. The stomach is lodged partly in 

 the breast and back; but the greatest portion of 

 it is in the abdomen. When empty it is colour- 

 less, but when filled it is plainly discernible, and 

 its motion seems very extraordinary. It then 

 appears working with very strong agitations, and 

 somewhat resembles an animal within an animal, 



VOL. vi. NO. 42. tr 



