THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXVI.l DECEMBER. 1903. [No. 487. 



A NEW BRITISH FLEA, CERATOPHYLLUS DALEI, sp. nov. 



By The Hon, N. Charles Rothschild, M.A., F.L.S. 



Plate V. 



In our article, " Types of Siphonaptera in the Daleian Collec- 

 tion,"* we pointed out that Mr. C. W. Dale possessed a single 

 male specimen of a flea taken from the nest of a wood-pigeon 

 {Columba palumbus) which, in our opinion, rej)resented a very 

 distinct new species. 



Mr. Dale, however, considers the insect in question to be 

 identical with Ceratophi/llus coliimhce (Walcken, & Gerv.) t We 

 do not agree with Mr. Dale, and take this opportunity of describ- 

 ing the species and naming it in his honour. 



This insect is allied to C. gallince and C. fringilla. It is, 

 however, much paler in colour even than the latter-named 

 species. The more strongly chitinised portions of the exo- 

 skeleton and those parts which cover each other are more or less 

 pale yellow in colour in the mounted specimen. The abdominal 

 tergites are brownish above, the prothoracic comb being deep 

 brown. The head is very similar to that of C. fringillce, beings 

 somewhat longer in proportion and a little more evenly rounded. 

 The pronotal comb consists of twenty-seven teeth. The epi- 

 merum of the metathorax bears six fine hairs, one at the apex, 

 three arranged in a row from the stigma downwards, and two 

 more near the base. The legs are markedly different from those 

 of G. fringillce, the spines on the back of the tibiae and fifth 

 tarsal segments being much stouter. 



The eighth tergite (fig. 1) of the abdomen is modified in a 

 special way. Its distal edge is almost vertical, being slightly 

 sinuate. The tergite, moreover, is produced upwards, and is 



- Ent. Mo. Mag. (Ser. 2), vol. xiv. p. 146 (1903). 

 f Walcken. & Gerv. Hist. Nat. Ins., Apteres iii. p. 375 (1844), 

 ENTOM. DECEMBER, 1903. 2 B 



