88 Of the Flea . 
the horns forward with the point of the needle* and its 
two fore legs nearer to the body ; and this whilft I was 
looking through the microfcope j by which means I could 
then exa&ly fee where to place the point of the needle, 
fo as to raife up the piercer in the fituation D E, as ex- 
prelTed in fig. 154. which reprefents a part of the flea’s 
head; and at the fame time 1 have opened the piercer, 
and feparated its two lancets, and this without cutting off 
any part of the flea, fig. 154. A B C are the two horns, 
and D E are the two fides of the piercer, which are 
partly hollow, that they may the better include the lancet, 
or dart, which in this figure appears to be but one, but 
if carefully feparated, will be found to confift of two 
parts, as in the next figure 155 5 whereof G H and G I 
reprefent as before the two parts of the piercer befet with 
feveral hairs, and G H fhews the two darts, but not 
feparated. At fig. 156. they may be feen afunder, where¬ 
of L O, L N, are the two hairy parts of the piercer be¬ 
fore fpoken of, and L M, O L P the darts; in L M may 
be feen the cavity, which includes or receives the other 
dart L P 5 when they are fhut up between the fleas fore 
legs, all the four make but one probofcis, 
Befides thefe two legs before fpoken of, which adhere 
to the head of this little creature, it has four others, which 
are joined to its breaft; thefe fix legs the flea ditches up 
altogether and when he leaps, fprings them all out at 
the fame inftant, and thereby exerts his whole ftrength 
at once, which carries him to a furprizing diftance, 
above hundred times its own length. Its legs have feveral 
hajry joints, which terminate in long hooked claws ; as 
In fig. 158. 
If the eggs of fleas be conftantly warm in one’s bofom 
(it has been obferved that) in the midfl: of fummer, they 
hatch in four days 5 then feed the maggots with dead 
flies. 
