16 [BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 
Powder, which is a preparation from the flowers of a plant, is 
often used to expel fleas both from carpets and the fur or 
hair of animals. It appears to be particularly obnoxious to 
them. But after applying the powder to an animal it should 
soon after be thoroughly washed off. 
It often happens that there are really but few fleas, perhaps 
less than a half dozen, in a room that is supposed to be over- 
run by them; for owing to their habit of biting repeatedly, a 
single one may do the mischief attributed to a large number. 
In such cases a careful search for and capture of the of- 
fenders will soon remedy the evil. When caught, a drop or 
two of benzine will kill them instantly. 
The Sheep-Tick, Forest-Flies or Horse-Ticks, ete. 
HiIpPososcipz. 
These are degraded Dipterous parasites, and must not be 
confounded with the true ticks, which have eight legs. Some 
of them are destitute of wings, like the sheep-tick; others 
have long, narrow, simple wings, like the species infesting the 
horse, and those of the swallow and other birds, bats, etc. 
The body is flattened from above, and is hard and firm, with 
a horn-like or leathery texture.. The head is somewhat 
sunken into the front edge of the thorax, without a distinct 
neck. The antenne or feelers are very small and near to- 
gether. The eyes are large and often occupy most of the 
sides of the head.. The proboscis consists of two lateral, nar- 
row, elongated, bristly plates (regarded as maxille by some 
authors), which project in front of the head. Below and 
between the bases of these there is a small orifice from which, 
when about to draw blood, three, long, slender, piercing 
organs are protruded; but these can be withdrawn when not 
in use. These are unequal in size, but-equal in length. The 
lower one, which is largest and channeled along the upper 
side and dilated at base, receives the two smaller ones into 
its groove. These organs penetrate deeply into the skin, 
and through the channel formed by the sete the blood is 
sucked up. 
They live like lice among the feathers of birds or hairs of 
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