466 THE COMMON FLEA. 



saucy as to pull any one by the ears that comes in 

 its way, and it will never be quiet till it has drawn 

 blood. It is troubled at nothing so much as that a 

 man scratches his head, as knowing that a man is 

 plotting and contriving some mischief against it : 

 this makes it oftentimes skulk into some meaner 

 and lower place, and run behind a man's back, 

 though it go very much against the hair, which ill 

 conditions it, having made it better known than 

 trusted *." 



THE FLEAS. 



The mouth in the Fleas is without either jaws or 

 feelers, having only a long inflected proboscis con- 

 cealing a single bristle. The antennae are beaded - s 

 the abdomen is compressed sideways ; and the legs 

 are six, and formed for leaping. 



The larva are white cylindrical, and without feet, 

 but are very active little creatures. Under the tail 

 there are two small spines. The chrysalis is motion- 

 less, but in appearance very like the perfect insect. 

 The two following species are all that have been 

 yet discovered. 



THE COMMON FLEAf. 



Notwithstanding the general disapprobation of 

 this insect, it has certainly something very pleasing 



* Albin's Spiders, p. 70. + Puiex initans. Linn. 



