ON LICE FROM THE SOCIETY'S OARDEXS. 253 



7. Studies on the Anoplnra and Mallophaga, being a 

 Report upon a Collection from the Mammals and Birds 

 in the Society's Gardens. — Part I., with a Preface. 

 Bj Beuce F. (Jummings, British Museum (Natural 

 History) *. 



[Received January 5, 1916 : Read February 22, 1916.J 

 (Text-figures 1-24.) 



Index. 



Systematic : Page 



Linngnathus pithodes, sp. n 260 



TricJiodectes hemitragi, sp. u 273 



T. liarrisoni, sp. ii 276 



Structure. 



Development. 



Preface. 



The following paper is the first part of a report upon the 

 Anoplura and Mallophaga collected upon the Mammals and 

 Birds that have died from time to time in the Society's Gardens, 

 and kindly submitted to me for identification and study by 

 the Zoological Society of London. On account of the oppor- 

 tunities for straggling on to other species of host afforded to 

 ectopai'asites on animals in a menagerie, the correct names 

 of the hosts in some instances may be open to doubt, while the 

 labour involved in the identification of the specimens is thereby 

 much increased, particularly in two such groups as these, which 

 in greater part remain in a state of considerable systematic 

 Qonfusion. In the present collection, however, I have come 

 across very little evidence of straggling, and, in any case, such 

 a contingency is amply compensated for by the fact that through 

 the kind offices of the*^late Prosector, Dr. F. E. Beddard, F.B.S., 

 and the Society's Pathologist, Professor H. G. Plimmer, F.R.S., 

 much of the material has been fixed and carefully preserved 

 in alcohol. It has thus been possible to add to the knowledge 

 of many of the forms coming under review and to turn the 

 report into something more than a didl census of names. The 

 value of the systematist's routine work would be greatly 

 enhanced if an endeavour were constantly made to add at least 

 something, however small, to the pre-existing knowledge of the 

 morphology of-each species. The correct naming of an animal 

 is the systematist's opportunity — too frequently neglected. 



In entomology of late, those who observe the Heavens will 

 have seen certain signs in the sky, one being the growing demand 

 for spirit-specimens pari passu with the growing recognition 

 that there is no group of insects in which a duplicate series of 



* Published by permission of the Trustees and communicated by the Secretary. 



