SARCOPSYLLIDM 



cocoon, inside which the pupa becomes the imago in about five 

 days, the whole time required for development being fourteen to 

 thirty-three days. 



Dispersal. — Fleas are dispersed mainly by their host travelling 

 about. Such a host as a rat may, of course, be carried by merchan- 

 dise, and, again, merchandise itself can spread fleas. 



Capture of Fleas. — If it is desired to capture fleas, allow a suitable 

 animal to remain in the place, when the fleas will gather on it. 

 Then chloroform the animal, and comb the stupefied or dead fleas 

 on to white paper. 



Remedies. — The remedies for fleas are, first and best, a clean 

 house — i.^., plenty of soap and water apphed to the floors, etc. Other- 

 wise naphthalene, pyrethrum powders, tobacco leaves and infusions, 

 and benzene may be used. 



A flea cannot jump more than 4 inches — an important fact to be 

 noted. 



Flea larvae are delicate little things, and cannot stand disturbance; 

 hence fleas will not be found in houses kept well swept and dusted, 

 but will abound in infected empty houses. 



Classification.— The Siphonaptera are classified by Rothschild into 

 three families: (i) Sarcopsyllidae, (2) Pulicidae, (3) Ceratopsyllidse. 



Only the first two are of importance, the last named being found 

 on bats. 



Family Sarcopsyllid^ Taschenberg, 1880. 



Synonym. — RhynchoprionidcB et HectopsyllidcB Baker, 1905. 

 Siphonaptera without ctenidia. Labial palps rather long, but 

 very weak and fragile; pale, slightly chitinized, formed of one or 

 two segments. Small maxillae little prominent. Piercing apparatus 

 very developed; mandibles large and strong. Genal extremity 

 always prolonged below and in front into a process, placed behind 

 the insertion of the mandibles. Nota of thoracic segments shorter 

 than that of the first abdominal. 



Genera. — Echidnophaga Olliff, 1886 ; Hedopsylla Frauenfeld, i860 ; 

 Dermatophilus Guerin, 1838 or 1839, which, according to Jordan 

 and Rothschild, may be recognized in the following manner :— 

 I. Hind coxa with patch of spines on inner side- — Echidnophaga. 

 II. Hind coxa without such a patch of spines :■ — 



{a) Hind femur with large basal tooth-like projection' — 



Hedopsylla. 

 (b) Hind femur simple — Dermatophilus. 

 We need only consider Dermatophihis. 



Dermatophilus Guerin, 1838. 



Synonyms, — Rhynchoprion Oken, 1815, nec Hermann, 1804; 

 Sarcopsylla Westwood, 1836. 



This genus contains the species Dermatophilus penetrans Guerin, 

 distinguished by having a distinct eye, and D. ccecata Enderlein, 

 1901, with a rudimentary eye. The latter species was found behind 

 the ear of Epimys rattus in Brazil. 



