CLASS I. INSECTA: ORDER 6. APHANIPTERA 583 



THE HIPPOBOSCID^. 



These include the Forest Flies, which attack various animals and suck their blood, producing 

 the greatest irritation. The Hippobosca equina is exceedingly troublesome to horses : the 

 Nycteribiidce confine their depredations to bats. Some species infest young birds and nearly 

 drive them to distraction. 



ORDER 6. APHANIPTERA. 



This includes the Fleas, which, despite their minuteness, have made themselves a name in the 

 world. The arterial covering is a horny compound of very distinct seg- 

 ments; the wings are four, but nearly rudimentary; the suctional organs 

 consist of a pair of fine, serrated, sword-shaped mandibles, provided with a 

 sharp, needle-like spear for penetrating the skin of the victim. The larva 

 FLEA MAGNIFIED ^^ ^^^ CoMMON Flea, Pulcx irHtans, is a long footless grub, with a horny 

 head ; it is hatched from eggs laid by the female, generally in the neighbor- 

 hood of animal matter. The larva? are active, and when they attach themselves to dogs or other 

 animals they twist about among the hairs or feathers, feeding upon minute particles of animal 

 matter. In about twelve days they are full grown. They then inclose themselves in a silky 

 cocoon, and pass to the pupa state. In this condition the insect is quiescent, inclosed in a skin 

 which fits over all parts of the body. The perfect insect emerges in about a fortnight. Most of 

 the species of Fleas, or Pulicidce, are parasitic upon particular animals — one of the largest being 

 found upon the mole.* 



A minute species, inhabiting the West Indies and South America, the Chigoe or Jigger, P. 

 penetrans, is remarkable for the habit possessed by the female of inserting herself beneath the 

 skin of the foot, generally under the skin of the nails. In this situation her abdomen swells to 

 about the size of a small pea, in consequence of the development of eggs in the ovaries, occasioning 

 great pain and irritation of the part, and if not extracted in time the eggs are said to be hatched 

 within the wound, producing extensive ulceration, and sometimes even causing death. The feet 

 of dogs are also attacked by this pest ; and it is said that the unfortunate creatures may often 

 be seen rolling about and nibbling their toes in a state of the greatest agony. 



ORDER 7. NEUROPTERA. 



This division includes a large number of very remarkable species called Nerve-winged Insects 

 -—the name of the order being derived from the Greek neuron, a nerve, and ptera, wings. 



THE PHRYGANEID^. 



These insects are noted for their complete metamorphosis; the larvae are aquatic, being long, 

 Boftish grubs with six feet, defending themselves from fishes and other animals, by casing their 

 bodies with straw, sticks, pebbles, and shells. Before passing to the pupa state, the larva fixes its 

 case to some object in the water, then closes up the two extremities with a silken grating, through 



* Most of our readers are doubtless acquainted with the fact that fleas have often been trained to perform various 

 curious tricks, such as firing cannon, driving coaches, playing on the piano, &c.— all these articles being of proportions 

 adapted to the minuteness of the operators. These are called iNDnsTRions Fleas, or Intellectual Fleas, and exhibi- 

 tions of them have often taken place in the great cities of Europe and America. The following curious anecdote 

 connected with one of these performances is furnished by a correspondent of the London Times: "The sovereign 

 of one of the German States commanded the attendance at court of one of these exhibitions, and the performance of 

 the fleas— some harnessed like horses, and others dressed to represent celebrated human characters— commenced. 

 But soon the exhibitor became perturbed, looking hither and thither, searched through his repository, and stopped 

 the performance with an apology that one of his chief performers, his Napoleon, had escaped, although he was safe 

 when the acting began. ' Where can he be gone f said the king. The exhibitor looked uneasy but spoke not. ' Tell 

 me,' said his majesty, interpreting his increasing confusion, ' what you suspect.' ' If I may be so bold, your niajcsty, 



I believe he has taken refuge with the Princess H .' ' Then,' said the king, ' search shall be made ;' and the 



princess retired. After a while, she appeared with a captive, who was immediately put upon the stage. But, oh 

 horror ! the exhibitor exclaimed — ' He is not my Napoleon ; he is a wild one !' " 



