24 Arachnid a and Myriopoda 



names (T. hominis, Dahl, T. amis, Saul, etc.). Probably these 

 mites were introduced into the preserved tissues by accident. 



Nephvophagus sanguinarius, Miyake and Scriba, is the name 

 given to a mite found dead day after day for a week or more in the 

 urine of a Japanese. Judging from the published figure of the 

 male it is very closely allied to Pediculoides or Tarsonemiis. 



Sub-Order— PEOSTIGMATA. 



In these mites the stigmata are situated at the anterior end of 

 the body near the mandibles, hence the name Prostigmata. The 

 mites belonging to this sub-order present great diversity both 

 of structure and habits. They include the Spinning Mites 

 (Tetranychidae), the Snouted Mites (Bdellidae), the Velvet or 

 Harvest Mites (Trombidiidae), etc. 



Family— TB( > MB 11)1 IDAE. 



When adult, the Velvel Mites — or Harvest Mites, as they are 

 often called — are predaceous, feeding on various insects, etc. The 

 last joint of the palp is in the form of a thumb or appendage, 

 being usually club-shaped. Eyes are present in this family. 



Owing to the fact that the Kedani Fever of Japan is conveyed 

 by one of their number, the larval mites of the family Trombidiidae, 

 commonly called harvest bugs, are of special interest. Only in a 

 very few cases is their parentage known with certainty, hence it is 

 necessary to give separate specific names to these larval stages in 

 order to distinguish them from one another. A great many of 

 the larval forms have been fully described and figured by the 

 celebrated acarologist Dr. A. C. Oudemans, of Arnhem. They attack 

 insects and other arthropods, and also birds, small mammals, etc. 

 The Kedani or Eiver Fever of Japan is a complaint induced by the 

 bite of the harvest bug known under the names Tsutsugamushi or 

 Akamushi (Microtrombicliiim ahamushi, Brumpt). This disease is 

 peculiar to certain areas along the banks of rivers in the Echigo 

 and Akita Provinces of the main island of Hondo (Nippon), and 

 is very fatal, the mortality averaging about 27 per cent, of the 

 persons affected. The Tsutsugamushi are found in the ears of 

 field-mice, and evidently transfer themselves to human beings, 

 thus transmitting the disease. Dr. Miyajima has shown that 

 Kedani Fever can be transmitted to monkevs by the bite of the 



