202 Transactions. — Zoology. 



to the posterior end of the body. An indistinct median 

 groove runs forward from the posterior extremity of the body 

 and gradually disappears before reaching as far forward as 

 the depressions. Whole dorsal surface free from hairs, but 

 marked with very tine parallel striae, which anteriorly are con- 

 centric with the margins of the cephalic shield, but soon become 

 transverse. On the ventral surface two grooves arise at the 

 bases of the legs and run backwards, at tirst nearly parallel, 

 but afterwards curving slightly outwards, and not reaching so 

 far as the posterio-lateral margins of the body. Posteriorly is a 

 median groove extending from the posterior margin for nearly 

 one-third the length of the body ; it is well-defined anteriorly, 

 but becomes shallower and less distinct posteriorly. 



Eostrum and palpi short, scarcely visible in dorsal view ; 

 rostrum cylindrical, straight, proximal two - thirds smooth 

 above, distal third provided with numerous recurved hooks ; 

 on the under-surface these hooks extend along two-thirds of 

 the length and proximally become arranged in four rows, 

 the teeth of the inner row smaller than those of the outer. 

 Palpi straight, not extending beyond the end of the rostrum, 

 only the two terminal joints distinct ; penultimate joint nearly 

 twice as long as the terminal, slightly narrowed at the base ; 

 terminal joint rounded at the end, and with an oval marking on 

 the under-surface ; both joints with a few fine scattered hairs. 

 Legs with the last two joints indistinctly separated, the last 

 bearing two strongly curved claws arising from a small pad. 



Size — length, 10 mm.; breadth, 5 mm. 



Male. — Smaller specimens (length, 3 mm.; breadth, 

 1-5 mm.), which are presumably males, are similar in most 

 respects to the females, but have the cephalic shield darker in 

 colour and the grooves on the dorsal and ventral surfaces less 

 well marked, and bear a few very fine hairs sparsely scattered 

 over the body. 



The colour of the animals when alive was, according to 

 Mr. Smith, " females dull-green, males brownish-green." 



Type specimens have been deposited in the Canterbury 

 Museum. 



I have to thank Miss E. G. Freeman, of the Christchurch 

 School of Art, for drawing for me figures 1 and 2, representing 

 the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the female. 



DESCRIPTION OP PLATE X. 



Ixodes anatis, Chilton. ? . 

 Fig. 1. Dorsal view of female, x about 4 times. 

 „ 2. Ventral vi"w of the same, x about 4 times. 

 „ 3. Rostrum, seen from abnve, x about CO times. 

 „ 4. Rostrum, seen from below, x about 60 limes. 

 „ f). Fourth leg, x about 3U times. 

 „ G. End of same, more highly magnified. 



