C. F. GEORGE ON THE BLYBOROUGH TICK. 225 



and claws, walk so well on perpendicular glass surfaces. The 

 rostrum is inferior, and concealed beneath the projection of the 

 anterior part of the body. The labium is slightly conical and 

 barbed, the barbs having the appearance of scales attached by their 

 anterior edge. The mandibles have the last joint short and denti- 

 culate,^ mlxodes. The " Micrographic Dictionary" says that Argas 

 belongs to the family Gamasea, but the mandibles in Gamasea are 

 beautifully chelate, like the claws of a lobster. The palpi, however, 

 differ from those of Ixodes, and I therefore think that Argas ought 

 to be considered to be a distinct family of the order Argas, rather 

 than a genus of the family Gamasea or Ixodea. The spiracles are 

 two in number, situated between the third and fourth legs. 



The roof of the church was constructed about 300 years ago ; it 

 is of the style called Tudor, and formed chiefly of oak and elm, 

 both English woods ; it had, however, been patched in one or two 

 places with pine. A good many bats were disturbed from their 

 hiding places, making it much more probable that they introduced 

 the Arachnid than that it came with the small quantity of pine 

 entering into its formation. It would be very interesting to examine 

 all old roofs that may chance to be taken to pieces, especially those 

 of churches, and much valuable information might thus be collected. 



Since writing the foregoing, I have (through the kindness of G. 

 A. Luard, Esq., of Blyborough Hall) had the opportunity of seeing 

 the " Apteres" of Walckenaer and Paul Gervais, where I found a 

 very excellent drawing of both upper and under surfaces of Argas 

 Fischerii, which quite convinces me that it is the Arachnid I have 

 been describing — but all that is said of it in the letterpress is that 

 the figures are copied from " Savigny's Egyptian Arachnida," PI. ix., 

 fig. 6. 



Description of Plates XXI., XXII. 



Plate XXI. — Fig. 1. Argas Fischerii, upper side X 15, from a drawing by 



Mr. T. Ball. 

 Fig. 2. Palpi of do. 

 Fig. 3. Claws of second leg. 



V 



Plate XXII. — Fig. 1. Argas Fischerii, upper side, from a drawing by Mr. 

 J. Fullagar (from a living specimen). 

 Fig. 2. Diagram of the Caeca. 



