nrr* 



THE SIPHONAPTF.RA OF NORTHUMnRRLAND AND DURHAM l8l 



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The Siphonaptera {Fleas) of Northinnberhind and Duj-ham. 

 By Richard S. Bagnall, F.L.S. 



a. General and Historical 



h. Literature 



c. Bubonic Plague 



d. Life Cycle and Note on Rearing Fleas 



e. Distributional Note 



f. List of British Fleas 



g. Species to Look For "... 



h. Records of our Local Fleas ... 



a. General and Historical. 



The flea, as a type of insect, is perhaps more familiar to the 

 non-entomological public than members of any other obscure 

 group. Moths have continually been misnamed butterflies, 

 and butterflies and caddis-flies loosely called moths ; the 

 loathsome cockroach, belonging to the Order Orthoptera, is 

 widely known as a beetle, whilst the name ' bug ' covers a 

 multitude of sins. But the flea is known as a flea throughout 

 the country ; therefore a general description is unnecessary, the 

 name alone conjuring up the image to the reader. 



Recent researches, however, have shown that fleas are very 

 important insects indeed, bearing, as they do, a large and 

 unenviable part in the carrying and dispersion of the 

 Bubonic Plague bacillus.* So we must raise the creature's 

 status, and lift it beyond the pale of unseemly merriment and 

 indelicate jokes ! 



Some years ago I attempted to lay the foundations of a 

 catalogue of our local species. Until 1911, when I received 

 the warm co-operation of my friend M.x. Wm, Hall of Fatfield, 



* There were 7>000,000 deaths between 1896 and 1911 from bubonic 

 plague in India alone. 



