INSECTA. 89 



pers, -which they fasten upon an enemy with so much 

 fierceness and take so firm a hold, that very often a claw 

 is left behind, seeming still to perform its duty, while 

 the owner is making off. During the journey to the 

 sea, at spawning time, they are seen crawling about in 

 great numbers, everywhere, and often find their way by 

 night into bedrooms, where they creep into the sleeper's 

 shoes ; therefore it is not uncommon, on putting the foot 

 into the shoe in the morning, to get a nip from the pin- 

 cers. As they are very good eating they are taken in 

 great numbers. 



The lesser races are as follows : 



The. Carp Louse (angulus foliaceus), which is flat, of 

 of a greenish-yellow color, about or over two lines in 

 length ; they are found attached to young fishes, whose 

 fluids they suck ; these parasites fasten upon them in 

 such numbers as to destroy life. 



The Sea Lice (cyamus ceti) are oblong, flat, one inch 

 long, and have seven pairs of feet ; are found adhering 

 to whales, in whose fins they make deep fissures. 



The Water Flea or the Miser (gammarus pulex), is 

 half an inch long, and the tenth of an inch or a line in 

 breadth; the fore feet are armed with small nippers. 

 They are found in pools, ditches, etc. ; swimming around 

 in great numbers, they feed on decaying vegetable mat- 

 ter, roots, and larvae of water insects ; settle largely on 

 water-cresses, and are considered, though erroneously, to 

 be poisonous. 



The Millepedes or Wood Lice (oniscus asellus), are 

 half an inch long ; gray, but have yellow dots on the 

 back ; are found in all cellars, out-houses, under stones, 

 etc. They can not live except in damp earth or shaded 

 situations ; feed on decaying moss or leaves, and never 



