98 THE BODY-LOUSE OF MAN. 
Peruvian mummy. The lice infesting the heads of negroes 
are darker, but among caucasians also colored varieties are 
not uncommon. 
This louse (fig. 66) 1s too well known to require a de- 
tailed description; the male is 1 to 1.5mm. long, the female 
almost 2mm. The white eggs or 
‘nits,’ 0.6mm. long, are elongated 
oval, with several little conical prom- 
inences at their large ends, which are 
open at the top, while the small end 
bears a cluster of bristles. About fifty 
eggs are glued at their pointed ends 
to hairs; in about six days the young 
hatch, grow rapidly, and after shed- 
ding their skins three times reach their 
adult condition in about three weeks. 
mite OLA chlatmed 12 He SVOUTIS MICG Bresette a Cu amen as 
pe a ones except in size; they are also less 
distinctly marked. The belief often expressed that a female 
louse could become a grandmother in the course of twenty- 
four hours is of course absurd. 

As the habits of these parasites are so well known, and 
the treatment of getting rid of them is familiar to those 
most interested in such matters, it is needless to mention 
them. Cleanliness and the application of hair-oils, etc., are 
good preventive measures. A little benzine is deadly for 
such intruders, but being very inflammable it should not be 
applied when near a light or fire, otherwise the hairs with 
their inhabitants might be removed. Sulphur ointment and 
white precipitate are also well-known remedies against these 
insects. 
THE BODY-LOUSE OF MAN. 
(Pediculus vestimenti Leach). 
This species has received a number of names on account 
of some fancied peculiarities. They closely resemble the 
head-louse but are larger, the female measuring as much as 
2mm.to4mm. The smaller males are not as numerous as 
the females. The eggs, 0.8 to 1.0mm. long, 0.8mm. broad, 
