THOUSANDS OF FLEAS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 16

THOUSANDS OF FLEAS

LATE ME, 'ROTHSCHILD'S GIFT.

To the estimated 3* millions of in r sects already m the Natural (History Museum, South Kensington SW th. er_f w»» shortly be added the unrivalled collection of fleas formed during N.. C. -Rothschild, who was-the 'world's leading authority on fleas Ho presented- his collection to the museum about 10 years ago, with the provision that it should .remain in his hands during his lifetime. It is understood that he also set aside a sum of ! money for its maintenance and improve-1 nient. , ■ . The fleas at present are in the museum at Tring, and they number some thousands, each in a little phial of spirit labelled with the name of its host. Whenever any expedition set out to explore distant or unknown lands some ! scientist was commissioned by Mr. Rothschild- to bring home specimens of I tiie fleas, of particular mammals or birds. Before he efet -out -on this line of I entomological research little was known i about,, fleas, but Mr Rothschild soon | found that nearly every animal or bird] was the host of a (lea peculiar to itself. j Ihe mole, for instance, thmifh it-lnr- | rows constantly, often ' through lmnl ' earth, is the host of on- of the''&re«l j 1 fleas known. ;