On the Affinities of the Pulicites. cxlix 



which he is a formidable rival even to the glorious Baron Bohm Big, 

 of jumping notoriety. With regard to the economy of the flea, now 

 arrived at days of discretion, I am unable to give a very satisfactory 

 account. Even in the instance of the jigger (Pulex penetrans), I take 

 it that we really know nothing of its natural economy. I am aware 

 that there will be many dissentients from this opinion ; but such dis- 

 sentients must show the probability that millions of jiggers are cre- 

 ated annually, in order that some hundreds may serve as plagues to 

 as many born Europeans who may chance to visit the West Indian 

 Islands. Surely, the harvest-bugs, which we can only persuade to 

 attack us by invading their native territories, the harvest-fields, were 

 never created simply as an annoyance to man. With regard to the fleas 

 which infest animals, more especially in a wild state, the circumstance 

 that fleas similar to one another are found on the same species of ani- 

 mal, certainly gives some colour to the idea that they have a parasitic 

 economy. 



But even this requires further investigation, for I know from actual 

 experiment that if a dog be washed, combed, and completely purified 

 from fleas, you have but to take him an hour's walk in dusty roads, 

 green meadows, umbrageous woods, in fact where you will, and on 

 again examining him, you will find that he has proved himself a good 

 entomologist, by collecting a great number of fleas, which are already 

 luxuriating on his living blood. I certainly do not recommend such 

 an absolute devotion to this branch of science as that exhibited by the 

 Capuchin friar, who established a colony of jiggers in his foot, in 

 order that the literati of Europe might examine them at leisure, but 

 whose foot mortified, was cut off, and thrown to the sharks of the 

 mid-passage, thus frustrating the devoted enthusiasm of its liege lord: 

 but I do recommend a little more attention to the living history of 

 these little jumpers, concerning which our knowledge is at present so 

 circumscribed. 



In connexion with the subject of normal economy, the following 

 query may also suggest itself. What is the natural food of those ticks 

 with which dogs are infested in autumn, immediately they commence 

 their labours of traversing the "lands" of the "glorious stubble ?" 



Edward Newman. 



(To be continued). 



IX. APPENDIX. D D 



