378 ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FOR THE YEAR 1869. 



Pulex talpa. — Amongst some insects sent me from Cheviot, 

 by Mr, J. Hardy, were four specimens of a fine large flea, which 

 he took from the neck of a short-tailed field mouse. These are 

 I think identical with the species figured by Curtis, British En- 

 tomology, pi. CXIV., as CeratojJsyUus talpoi = Pulex t'alpcB, In- 

 secta Britannica, III., 4? One of the specimens is a male, the 

 others females : the first has the antenna erect and distinctly 

 visible ; whilst all the females have these organs procumbent, 

 and nearly out of sight. In fleas the antennae are placed in 

 cavities on the sides of the head immediately behind the eyes, 

 and are said to be concealed from view by movable valves. In 

 some species these organs (the antennae) are carried erect, and 

 were formed by Curtis into the genus Ceratopsyllus, which has 

 not been adopted by modern writers : justly so in my opinion, 

 for otherwise my male would belong to one genus, and the 

 females to the other. I fail to see any traces of the said mova- 

 ble valves, the erect antennae of the male's allowing the cavities 

 in which they lie to be distinctly seen ; whilst the antennae of 

 the females, although level with the surface of the head, can be 

 plainly observed to be uncovered. I am doubtful of my refer- 

 ence to "Insecta Britannica," where the length given for this 

 insect is only three-quarters of a line, whilst my specimens are 

 fully 1^ line in length ; nor does Mr. Walker mention the eight 

 strong spinous hairs which are placed transversely on the dorsal 

 penultimate segment, although they are clearly figured in Cui-tis's 

 plate to which he refers. 



Local CorixcB. — In the Natural History Transactions of North- 

 umberland and Durham, Vol. I., p. 317, I recorded the occur- 

 rence in our district of ten species of aquatic Hemiptera of the 

 genus Corixa. Last year's (1869) endeavours have increased 

 the number of our local species to eighteen, of which two are 

 new to science : I therefore give a corrected list of the whole. 



1. C. Geoffroyi, Leach. In ponds and streams; exceedingly 



abundant everywhere. 



2. C. Panzeri, Fieb. Very rare at Gosforth in August. 



