I30 KENNEL SECRETS. 



have very decided distinctive features, and while the for- 

 mer may infest the dog the latter never attaches himself 

 permanently to man, although he may annoy him with 

 occasional visits. 



There is yet another prevalent notion about fleas, 

 namely, that all in sandy districts are the so-called Piilex 

 penetrans or sand-flea. As a matter of fact the true sand- 

 flea is peculiar to hot countries, and although it has been 

 found in some parts of Africa it is common only in South 

 America, where it is variously known as the chigger, 

 chigoe, jigger, etc. Another sand-flea, of enormous size, 

 is met with on the shores of the Mediterranean, but, 

 as said, none of these species are ever found in northern 

 latitudes except embedded in persons from the infested 

 districts. 



The human flea and the dog flea, however, seek sand 

 in which to lay their eggs and hatch out their young, and 

 during the season in which this is going on it is almost 

 impossible to keep them out of buildings that are located 

 near sand-hills or on sand only recently deposited. But 

 they naturally prefer that which is undisturbed, and al- 

 though they may swarm in a load fresh from the hills, if 

 spread out over a driveway or dog-yard and well rolled 

 down it no longer as nicely serves their purpose, and they 

 soon seek more favorable situations. 



These troublesome insects, rightly called flies without 

 wings, suck blood like leeches, and not content to satisfy 

 their appetites they treat their hosts to injections of a 

 highly irritating fluid which soon assures them that they 

 have been victimized. Another deplorable peculiarity of . 

 theirs is that they multiply with distressing rapidity, the 

 female laying about twenty eggs in as many days, from 

 which the larvae emerge in the course of a week and are 

 then speedily matured ; but until full-grown the mother 



