144 INSECTS AFFECTING DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
the toe nails, and produce a swelling and later a distinct ulcer, some- 
times so serious as to result fatally. With the development of the 
eggs the body of the female becomes greatly distended, so as to lose 
all semblance to the original insect, the head and legs appearing as 
little appendages upon a large round body the size of a pea. 
The larve must normally escape from the body of the adult and issue 
from the opening of the tumor to undergo development after the ordi- 
nary habit of their relatives, but the crushing of the body of the adult 
in the tumor may result in their liberation in the tissues surrounding 
the body of the adult, and if they are not promptly expelled from the 
sore they may increase the injury caused by the adult. 
The remedy most recommended is the extraction of the female as 
soon as the presence of a swelling or tumor indicates the presence of 
the parasite. This is accomplished by the introduction of a sharp knife 
point, the effort being to withdraw the insect entire, as the bursting 
of the body and discharge of the eggs in the sore is likely to result. 
seriously. 
For the prevention of the attacks upon domestic animals it would 
seem that attention to the infested animals and the destruction of the 
adults whenever detected, along with the liberal use of pyrethrum in 
the localities where the larve develop, would be of some service, though 
it can easily be seen that an insect with so large a number of hosts 
stands a very good chance of survival. 
THE HEN FLEA. 
(Sarcopsylla gallinacea Westw.) 
Westwood! described this species from specimens brought by the 
famous Challenger expedition from Ceylon and collected by Mr. H. N. 
Mosely from the domestic hen. Taschenberg’ gives his acccount of it 
from type examples in the collection of Dr. Ritzema Bos. The first 
record of its occurrence in America is a note in the Proceedings of the 
Entomological Society of Washington* upon specimens from Gaines- 
ville, Fla., sent to the society by Judge Lawrence C. Johnson, who 
later * presented the society with an account of the habits of the insect. 
_ These specimens were identified by Dr. A. 8. Packard,® who also pre- 
sents a review of the history of the species. 
Baker ® infers its occurrence in Texas from an account of injury to 
fowls reported in Bulletin 30, Texas Experiment Station, and records 
it from specimens furnished by the Division of Entomology from Florida; 
floresville, Tex.; Hockley, Tex.; and Meridian, Miss. 
1 The Entomologists’ Monthly Magazine, Vol. XI, p. 246 (1874-75). 
2 Die Flohe, p. 55, Pl. I, figs. 5, 5a. 
SViol= lips oo: 
4 Loc. cit., pp. 203-205. 
5 Insect Life, Vol. VII, pp. 23-24. 
5 Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XX VII, pp. 19, 111. 
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