240 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The mite was identified as Ty7-oglyphus lo?igior, and is a very minute, 

 colourless, eight-legged creature, which is usually found swarming in 

 numbers over and in old cheese and various stored products, such as 

 dried meats, dried fruits, vanilla, and flour of different kinds. It is rapid 

 in its movements, has a cylindrical body, and has numerous shining hairs 

 sticking out on the sides. The species is common to Europe and the 

 United States. 



All through the summer months, and in warm houses during ihe 

 winter months, these creatures breed with astonishing rapidity and 

 fecundity. The rapidity of multiplication, and the extraordinary numbers 

 in which these mites will occur under favourable conditions, are almost 

 incredible. The females bring forth their young alive,' and these in turn 

 rapidly reach full growth and reproduce. Through the summer months 

 the mites are soft-bodied, and have comparatively feeble powers of 

 locomotion, but it has been ascertained that when necessity requires it, 

 and when the insects happen to be in the proper stage of growth, they 

 have the power of not only almost indefinitely prolonging existence, but 

 of undergoing a complete change of form, acquiring hard, brown, pro- 

 tective covering, into wliich all of the legs can be drawn in repose. 

 It has been proved by Van Leeuwenhock, who was an eminent Dutch 

 naturalist, that the softer form can undergo a fast of eleven weeks without 

 apparent discomfort, and it is now known that in the hard shell, or 

 Hypopus state, it may remain for many months without food. 



Strange as it may seem, the mites affecting this particular farm 

 homestead were found almost exclusively living in cracks and crevices, 

 and around and on old clothing and rags of all descriptions. Very 

 few mdeed were found infesting the pantry or attacking cheese or any 

 other household provisions. This apparent attraction for old clothing 

 was soon observed by the women of the house, and they at once adopted 

 a plan for trapping them. Numerous old rags were gathered together, and 

 scattered around the house in all directions. The next morning they 

 were all gathered together and carefully shaken over a table, and all the 

 mites that fell off were then killed at once by hand. 0\\ all the traps not 

 more than from one to two dozen mites were found per day. 



The presence of the mites in the house, and their habit of congre- 

 gating on the clothing, caused a great deal of more or less imaginary 

 discomfort to the ladies of the house, although the species is one that is 



