124 

 Genus LXXVII. PULEX. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Antenna moniliform, growing thicker towards 

 the points. Mouth with an elongated, in- 

 flected, setaceous snout concealing a sting. 

 Eyes two. Abdomen compressed. Legs six, 

 formed for leaping. 



General Observations. 



It is singular that the Flea is the only one of 

 the apterous insects, that undergoes the same 

 metamorphosis with those of the other orders, 

 all the other apterous insects being produced 

 in their perfect state, either by the mother or 

 from the egg. The larva has a forked tail, and 

 spins a covering for the chrysalis, which has 

 feet, of which, however, it can make no use, 

 they being immoveable. Yeats, from whose 

 Institutions of Entomology the above infor- 

 mation is derived, adds that they are small, 

 lively, and creep like caterpillars ; they pass 

 fourteen or fifteen days in their larva state, be- 

 fore they undergo their second transformation. 



