382 R. T. LEWIS ON IXODES REDVVIUS (lINN.). 



Laving already been well done in the articles alluded to — but 

 rather to call attention to an observation which Mr. Wheler was 

 fortunate in making, and which adds a very important and 

 interesting item to our somewhat imperfect knowledge of the 

 ways of the ticks. 



In the early autumn of last year Mr. Wheler mentioned in 

 the course of correspondence with me that, from observations 

 made, he had come to the conclusion that the impregnation of 

 the female tick was accomplished by means of the rostrum of the 

 male, and not by a special intromittant organ as in the case of 

 insects, and that for this purpose the rostrum was entirely inserted 

 into the generative orifice of the female. In proof of this 

 somewhat surprising statement photographs as well as mounted 

 specimens of ticks in copula were submitted, which clearly showed 

 connection between the individuals in the manner described. On 

 looking up such authorities as were to hand, and also on mention- 

 ing the matter to correspondents in the colonies who are making 

 a special study of these creatures, I found that though all assumed 

 the fertilisation to be performed in the usual way, by contact 

 between the genital organs of the sexes, no one had actually seen 

 the process, although several who had noticed that the males ran 

 under the females said that they attached themselves to the host 

 in that situation ; one writer, going a little further, affirming that 

 the male attached himself to the host beneath the female in an 

 inverted position, although this feat would obviously involve a 

 movement of the rostrum in a direction precisely opposite to that 

 provided for by the structure of its articulation. So many 

 peculiarities were however already recognised in connection with 

 the reproductive processes amongst the Arachnida that I felt not 

 only much interested, but quite prepared for an acquaintance- 

 with yet another surprise. 



Wishing me to see the procedure for myself and thus be able 

 independently to confirm his observations, Mr. Wheler sent me- 

 a few living ticks in their early mature stage, males and females- 

 being in separate tubes ; and instead of quoting his own descrip- 

 tion, I purpose, with his concurrence, simply to describe what I 

 myself witnessed. 



A male and female tick having been selected, were placed in 

 a reversible glass cell large enough to allow them ample freedom 

 of movement, the cell being placed on the stage of a binocular 

 microscope under a 2-in. objective and viewed in the large field of 



