
30 THE INSECT WORLD. 
flea pierces the skin, irritates it, and causes the blood on which 
it lives to flow. 
This bite, as every one knows, is easily recognised by the pre- 
sence of small darkish red spots, surrounded by a circle of a paler 
colour. The quantity of blood absorbed by this little creature is 
enormous when compared with its size. 
The body of the flea is divided into thirteen segments, of which 
one forms the head; three the thorax, which is short ; and the 
remainder the abdomen. 
The limbs are long, strong, and spiny. The tarsus, or foot, has five 
joints, and terminates in hooks turned in opposite directions. The 
two anterior limbs are separated from the others, and are inserted 
nearly under the head; the posterior ones are particularly large 
and strong. 
The jumps which fleas are able to make are really gigantic, and 
the strength of these little animals quite herculean when compared 
with the size of their bodies. The reader may be inclined to smile 
at the assertion that the flea possesses herculean strength; but 
let him wait a little, and he will find that it is no exaggeration. 
Lo give some idea of the strength, the docility, and the good- 
will of the fleas, some wonderful little things have been made, 
which have served at the same time to show the astonishing skill 
of certain workmen. 
In his “ Histoire abrigée des Insectes,” published in the seventh 
year of the French Republic, Geoffroy relates that a certain Mark, 
an Englishman, had succeeded, by dint of patience and art, in 
making a gold chain the length of a finger, with a padlock 
and a key to fasten it, not exceeding a single grain in weight. A 
flea attached to the chain pulled it easily. The same learned 
writer relates a still more surprising fact. An English work- 
man constructed a carriage and six horses of ivory. The 
coachman was on the box with a dog between his legs, there were 
also a postillion, four persons in the carriage, and two servants 
behind, and the whole of this was drawn by one flea. 
In his “ Histoire Naturelle des Insectes Aptéres,”’ Baron Walck- 
enaer relates the following marvellous instance of industry, 
patience, and dexterity :— 
““T think it is about fifteen years ago, that the whole population of 
