The primary purpose of the report on veterinary diseases, 

 mentioned above, is to present the biological relationships of 

 ticks to these diseases in order to provide a better working 

 knowledge for basic research in hviman diseases. It is also in- 

 tended that this section will be of use to veterinarians in the 

 area concerned. 



Possibly one of the greatest general criticisms of contem- 

 porary literature on African ticks is that the reader obtains the 

 impression that specialists* knowledge is usually more or less 

 complete with respect to identification, biology, hosts, and dis- 

 tribution. When first considering the study of African ticks, I 

 was told by several scientists that these parasites were so well 

 known and so easily identified that there would be little to do 

 that could not be accomplished in short order J Quite the contrary 

 proved to be true; and it was soon realized how much specialized 

 and practical information on African ticks is lacking. The best 

 expectation for this undertaking is that the numerous indications 

 for existing queries, problems, and lacunae in o\ir information on 

 African ticks will stimulate readers to seek out additional data. 

 It is also hoped that this work will provide a useful body of 

 information for authors of textbooks and teaching manuals. To- 

 wards these ends, every effort has been made to present and re- 

 view data as correctly as possible. Should errors occur, it will 

 be appreciated if readers call them to my attention for inclusion 

 in errata in subsequent volumes. 



HISTORY OF THIS PROJECT 



This project commenced in 19^8 with a small tick collection 

 made mostly in Equatoria Province of the Sudan, and also in other 

 parts of East Africa and I-Iadagascar, I was, at that time, a 

 member of the Naval Medical Science Group accompanying the Uni- 

 versity of California African Expedition, Subsequently, between 

 October 19A9 and April 1950, when assigned by NA1-KU_3 to Torit, 

 in Equatoria Province, for study of elephant shrew malaria 

 (Hoogstraal, Huff, and Lawless 1950, Hoogstraal 1950,1951, 1953A, 

 1955A), a larger tick collection was accumulated. This was as- 

 sembled, however, chiefly as an avocational pursuit. 



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