AT THE MICROSCOPE. 235 



history of this particular specimen. I think we are safe in assum- 

 ing that she had satisfied her appetite, and had sought out at the 

 time of capture some cranny wherein to deposit her eggs. The 

 males would probably be much smaller, more active, and 

 difficult to find. " A species occurring in Persia lives in 

 houses, and by its puncture occasions convulsions, delirium, 

 and sometimes, as is asserted, even death." Argas per- 

 sicus Fischer, Gervais Apteres, III., pp. 229 — 231, PI. 2>h Fig. 

 6 ("Handbook of Zoology," Van der Hoesen, Vol. L, p. 578). 

 This is not the place at present to go into minute details, but 

 much may be learnt by a careful study of the specimens by our 

 members individually. Remember one of the remarks of " Owen 

 the Great " — " The eye sees in proportion to the knowledge which 

 the mind brings to the investigation." You know, too, Words- 

 worth's pedlar : — 



" A primrose by the river's brim, 

 A yellow flower it was to him ; 

 And it was nothing more." 

 Whilst to Darwin it has served as a " master-key " to unlock the 

 treasury of knowledge in chamber after chamber of eternal truth. 

 See "Researches on di-tri-Morphism in Primulaceae, Linaceee, 

 Lythraceae, etc." (Proc. Linn. Soc). Mr. Fullagar's description is 

 most interesting. On looking over it, I see that this is " one of 

 two specimens " " found on the wall of the passage that leads from 

 the Cathedral to the library, April 20th, 1872," and "placed in a 

 glass-topped box, in which they lived for one year and ten months." 

 On June 27th, 1882, he says: — "I found they had laid a large 

 number of eggs, which were quite round and of a reddish-brown 

 colour, smooth, and very bright, having the appearance of small 

 glass beads" (loc. cit., p. 121). They hatched out in about 9 or 

 10 days, and the young lived for six months without food. Ab- 

 sence of eyes is a general characteristic of the Ixodea. I cannot 

 understand how it comes to be stated that " they have no suctorial 

 proboscis, like the common Tick," for this specimen shows them 

 to have, though not with sufficient clearness for exact description, 

 and it is shown in Mr. F.'s own figure as well, on p. 122. They 

 are formed to endure long fasts, but the statement that they are 

 capable of living without food " for four or five years " is highly 

 improbable, and requires verification. The corrugations of the 

 integument, best seen on the back of the creature, interest me 

 much, resembling as they do most closely those met with on the 

 seed of Stellaria graminea (the Greasy Stitchwort). Mr. Gulliver 

 states that the " white dots " are calcareous ; is not this curious ? 

 It has already been stated in our Notes, that the Ticks approx- 

 imate in some respects to Crustacea ; here we have an additional 



