156 



at the angles ; abdomen underneath pale, anus hairy ; tarsi with four black 

 claws, the inner ones shorter and truncated ; wings much longer than the 

 body. 



[An European species. Loew (Mmographs of Diptera, part i.) 

 divides the order of Diptera into three sections : — Nemocera, Brachycera 

 and Coriacea^ and includes this family, with the Nycteribida^ in the last 

 mentioned.] 



[318] XL— APHANIPTERA. 



FAMILY PULICID^^ 



if 



447. PuLEX GiGAS Kirby. — Plate vi., fig. 9. — Length of bcc*^ 2 

 lines. Two specimens taken in Lat. 65°. 



Body ovate, reddish-yellow ; segments, particularly the first of the 

 trunk, pectinated with black bristles ; antennas, though short, very distinct, 

 standing out from the head, they seem to consist of two joints, the last 

 conical and obtuse ; the base of the second segment of the trunk is 

 black ; the thighs are very flat and wide, inclining to ovate ; tibiae armed 

 with long black bristles. 



This I believe is the largest flea known, but I have not been able to 

 ascertain upon what animal it was captured. 



