VOI-UCELLA.- 



-INSECTS.- 



-PULEX IRRIT/ISS. 



271 



Saunders, Esq., in the Transactions of the Entomolo- 

 gical Society. The species figured is named Pliytalmia 

 cervicoriiis, in allusion to the remarkable horn-like 

 processes with which the head is furnished ; the male 

 only has those ornaments, as will be seen on reference 

 to the cuts. 



Several of the genera of this group are parasites, 

 whose province in the economy of nature appears to be 

 to check tlie superabundance of species of other orders ; 

 the species of the genus Tacliinus are parasitic upon 

 various species of beetles. Carabi, Longicornea, &c., 

 are attacked by them in the larva state; Lepidoptera, 

 particularly the larger moths, such as the Death's head, 

 are attacked by them; even the Hemiptera, the bugs, 

 do not escape. The various species of the genns Vul- 

 lucella live in the nests of bees and wasps, feeding upon 

 the larvas of those insects. VuUucella hovibylans is 

 figured in Plate 11, fig. 5; this species infests the nests 

 of Humble bees. A few are known to live in the 

 bodies of insects in their perfect condition; the species 

 of the genus Conups, at least some of them, undergo 

 their changes in the bodies of Humble bees, emerging 

 from the plates of the abdomen. For further informa- 

 tion upon these interesting insects we must refer the 

 reader to the works of Fallen, Wiedemann, Meigen, 

 iMacquart, and Walker, who has described the British 

 species in the "Insecta Britannica" in three volumes. 



We must not pass over without notice another sec- 

 tion of the order Diptera, a small group of parasitic 

 insects forming the geinis Hippobosca ; one of the 

 best known is the // equina, commonly known in 

 some parts of the country as the Forest-fly. Tliesc 

 insects have the head distinct, but partially immersed 

 in the anterior portion of the thorax ; the legs are short, 

 stout, and bristly ; the claws are dentate and curved ; 

 the rostrum is a complex structure furnished with 

 sharp lancet-shaped organs adapted to piercing the skin 

 of the animal upon which they are parasitic. These 

 insects belong to a section called Pupipara ; they have 

 been regarded as forming a distinct order V>y some 

 authors ; they are the Homalnptera of Leach. The 

 body of these insects is flat, short, and coriaceous ; the 

 wings are large, but in some species they are wanting. 

 The eggs of the Hippohoscidce are hatched in tlie 

 body of the parent, the larva nourished and changed 

 into a pupa in the same situation; in this state they are 

 deposited by the parent fly; the change to the pupa 

 state takes place within the skin of tlie larva. The 

 //. equina attacks the horse, and in those parts of the 

 country where they abound are exceedingly annoying, 

 even ill many cases dangerous ; horses travelling for 



the first time in places which the fly frequents, and 

 which are attacked by it, sometimes become un- 

 manageable. The only way of removing the pest is 

 by picking it off, so firmly do they fix themselves, 

 clinging with their hook-like claws with unflinching 

 tenacity; their bite, or rather the operation of piercing 

 the skin and sucking the blood, evidently being attended 

 with a considerable amount of pain. When these 

 flies are placed on the ground after being caught, they 

 run with considerable speed sideways like a crab, to 

 which in reality they bear a considerable degree of 

 resemblance ; the crab only wants wings to make the 

 similarity almost complete. The Forest-fly is abundant 

 in Hampshire. The same species also attacks the ass, 

 and not uncommonly even oxen. The writer once 

 saw a horse attacked by at least one hundred flies, all 

 having settled and fastened on his flanks; the pool 

 creature was no doubt " to the manner born," as it 

 stood as if quite accustomed to them, and only acknow- 

 ledged their presence by a constant shivering attempt 

 to drive them off. 



Species of other genera attack diflerent animals; 

 Lepjoptera cervi attacks the stag ; Melaphagtts ovintis 

 the sheep. Several species are found upon species of 

 hats. The species belonging to the genera Ornithomyixi, 

 Sti'peptcryx, and O.ajpterum, are parasitic upon various 

 birds. The Slenoptei-yx Hirundinis is common in the 

 nests of the sand-marten. 



Another minute insect of this division must be noticed, 

 it having been taken in this country ; it is a species 

 long well known on the continent, a parasite on tlio 

 Hive bee {Braula ecccci). It is a minute insect closely 

 resembling the fly of the sand marten, but it has neither 

 eyes or ocelli ; it is figured in Abrens' " Fauna," and pre- 

 viously by E&umur in his fifth volume, Plate 38. This 

 curious parasite was discovered a few months back in a 

 hive of the Ligurian bee by Mr. Woodbury of Exeter. 

 The specimen might have been imported along with tlie 

 stock, but the species will probably be permanently in- 

 troduced into this country. 



Genus Nycthribia. — Only two British species are 

 known, and the number of exotic ones are few. These 

 insects liave no wings; the legs are long and terminated 

 with strong hooked claws fitted for clinging. They 

 are found on the bodies of various species of bats. 



Examples of several genera of Diptera ai'e figured on 

 Plate 11, in order to convey a better idea of the variety 

 of form to be met with in this order. Fig. 1. Crria 

 cfinopsoides ; 2. Echinomyia /era ; ,S. Bibio pinnonw ; 

 4 Henops marf/inntus ; fi. Ceroplaln-t tipidoidcs ; 8. 

 Ant/irax morio ; 10. Phasia hemiptera. 



SuB-OKCEU— APITANirTERA. 



Tins order contains the different species of fleas, form- 

 ng the fomily Pulicidee. These insects are too well 

 known, yet few, except entomologists, would suppose 

 that they have a close relationship to, if they do not 

 in fact constitute, an apterous section of the Diptera. 

 The organs of the mouth in a magnified representation 

 of the parts, shows us the formidable apparatus where- 



with they pierce the skin of their victim. The mandi- 

 bles are represented by two elongate seta;, the edges of 

 which are serrated ; the tongue or sucker is of the same 

 length, but more slender. These seta; when united, and 

 inclosing the sucker between them, form the piercing 

 lancet-like instrument with which the insect punctures 

 the skin, which being eflected and causing a momentary 



