Stephanocircus, Sk.: a rejoinder
Abstract
Mr. Carl F. Baker omitted to include a diagnosis of my genus in his table of the genera of the Pulicidae as he evidently first wished to "verify all the points of the description" by the examination of actual specimens. I would explain that the flea in question was taken in large numbers on one animal, Dasyurus maculatus, Kerr, and that there is no mistake in attributing the two sexes figured in my paper to one species. It would possibly not conform with Mr. Baker's preconceived system of classification of what he calls "Siphonaptera." Before essaying the task of reconstructing existing classification it is usual for the reformer to make himself acquainted with the literature bearing on the subject. Mr. Baker, however, discusses my conclusions at second hand and without attention to the numerous figures upon which I relied to elucidate my meaning. Under these circumstances it is scarcely fair in him to condemn
