230 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



not so easj' to discover a dust-coloured insect as when it is isolated on 

 the top of a dry twig, whence it lets itself drop upon the passer-by. 



As to the effect of the Argas bite on the human species, the 

 symptoms vary as well as the time of suction following the bite. The 

 effect seems to depend chiefly on personal idiosyncrasy, which probably 

 also accounts for the comparative immunities and receptivities reported 

 in reference to the bite of Acanthia ( Cimex) leciuhiria, Reduvius, and 

 of the different Tipulides and Culicides. R. A. Plaskett has been bitten 

 twice, and in each case it took about twenty-four hours before fever and 

 swelling set in. The numbness of the bitten parts, which is so char- 

 acteristic of the bite of Arachnides, Myriopodes, and of some Hymen- 

 opterous stings, was not noticed in a single instance. Now, these 

 observations agree very well with the statements that are in our possession 

 regarding the effects of the bites of other Argas, and at the same time 

 they explain the discrepancies in the statements of the effects of the bite 

 of the dreaded Argas Fersicus, which seems to be as local as our 

 California insect. 



The fatal termination in cases where persons have been bitten by 

 Argas Persiais, which are mentioned by old Herodotus, and by Pallas in 

 modern times, may have their origin in malarious fevers, which are very 

 common in that district of the Persian Province Ghilan, between the 

 Caspian Sea and the Elbrus Mountains, where the Argas is found. The 

 bite of the animal is probably only a coincidence, of course not favour- 

 able to the condition of a patient already weakened by malaria. Here 

 in California we have had to face an analogous error with regard to the 

 fatal effects of Rhus diversiloba. All the fatal cases were malaria 

 patients, sick for a considerable time before they came in contact with 

 the Rhus. 



As to the effect of the bite of Argas Persicus, even if not fatal, the 

 consequences in some instances must be serious enough to induce the 

 inhabitants of Persian villages to change the location of their settlement, 

 as is mentioned in Kotzebue's report of his travels through Ghilan. At 

 the same time, this change of location as a remedy is another proof of 

 the very local distribution of Argas Persicus, a peculiarity shared in 

 common with Argas Columbce of Europe and our own Santa Lucia species. 



Our Santa Lucia species seems to be both diurnal and nocturnal. 

 The Argas Columbce of Europe is nocturnal, and in its habits bears a 



