652 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



to six feet above the ground and more or less hidden in dust, old cob- 

 webs, etc. Many more were found in the vertical poles than in the 

 horizontal ones. About a dozen adults and nymplis were also found 

 in deep dust amongst the cobble stones of the floor of the shed under 

 feeding-boxes suspended about three inches above the floor. A long 

 search under stones in the part of the extensive calf pasture nearest 

 to the kraals, and where the animals .appeared to congregate most 

 when at liberty, failed to reveal even a single tick ; but five adults 

 were found in the dust beneath a corrugated-iron water-trough in 

 this enclosure several hundred yards distant from the kraal, and 

 twelve more were found in the dust underneath a salt-trough, although 

 none under near-by stones. Similarly no trace of the pest was found 

 under stones in the adjoining camp for grown cattle, but the first 

 scratch in the dust under a water-trough there brought an adult to 

 light, while another adult was found beneath a salt-trough. 



How do the Seed Ticks get to Stock? — Larvae otf all kinds of 

 Ixodid ticks, so far as known, cluster on the grass or on other support, 

 generally at the tip of a projection, and there wait for an animal to 

 brush them off in passing by the place. Only a slight disturbance is 

 required to excite them and to cause them to stretch out their front 

 legs in readiness to scramble on to an animal. The American account 

 of the ear-tick seems to suggest that it behaves m much the same 

 way, for after telling that adults, eggs, and larvae are found several 

 feet above the ground it goes on to say: — "Such a habit is of 

 advantage to the larvae in finding their way to the ears of the host, 

 as cattle using infested stalls or rubbing against infested trees and 

 fences undoubtedly pick up large numbers." Mr. Story's observa- 

 tions, on the contrary, are to the effect that the larva crawls to the 

 animal. Mr. Faure's observations at the Kimberley farm are in keep- 

 ing with Mr. Story's, except that he was unable to notice the larvae 

 "making towards him from all directions." Mr. Faure, however, 

 did not find a great number of eggs and larvae, and it may be that he 

 was rather early in the season to see them in greatest abundance. 

 Mr. Story studied the tick chiefly in March. Mr. Faure saw only a 

 few of the larvae on the ground or elsewhere than at nlaces where he 

 raked out adults. Half an hour's watch of the ground in" the milking- 

 shed brought only three to his sight. One of the three was walking 

 away from him, but when he laid a finger on the ground about an 

 inch behind it it turned back and crawled on to his hand. The 

 other two were only six to nine inches off when first seen, and they 

 were moving away; he put his hand down an inch or so behind one 

 Off them, but it kept its direction. At another place in the shed he 

 got a weak calt to lie on the ground a foot or two out from the nearest 

 poles, and he then watched closely for larval ticks for about an hour. 

 During the period three larvae were seen, and all three went straight 

 to the calf and climbed on to it — one on to its tail and two on to it^. 

 legs. They were soon lost to sight in the hair. When first seen 

 these larvae were, respectively, about eight, twelve, and eighteen 

 inches away from the call. At another time four weio noticc-d en 

 the ground near poles in the shed, and one of these was seen to move 

 over the dry manure and dust about four feet in a few minutes ; it 

 seemed unaware that a potential host was near it, and merely walked 

 around a finger placed in its way. Other larvae were also observed 

 wandering about aimlessly on the ground, and one was observed on 



