British Oribatidse. By A. B. Michael 183 



of the anterior margin of the abdomen. Along each side of the 

 abdomen is a row of four hairs, and there are two more at the 

 junction of the wing-hke expansions, also three pairs on the pos- 

 terior margin at diflferent levels. 



The only specimens of this species which I have found were in 

 the decayed wood of an old tub which had been lying for a long 

 time in a garden near Tamworth, in Warwickshire ; in this wood 

 the creature was in considerable numbers and in all stages, the per- 

 fect form chiefly on the surface, and the nymphs and larvae mostly 

 in the substance of the wood. IMr. George has, however, found the 

 perfect creature at Kirton Liudsey. 



Nymph, Plate IV. Fig. 2. 

 Average length of adult nymph, about • 42 mm. 

 „ breadth in widest })art „ ' 2-3 „ 

 „ length of first pair of legs „ '22 „ 

 „ second and third „ „ ' 15 „ 



Colour of body very pale red-brown or flesh-colom-, darker 

 towards apes of rostrum ; legs a darker shade of same colour. 

 Body shiny and transparent. 



Ccphaloihorax conical, slightly longer than broad, anterior half 

 having a somewhat convex, and posterior half a decidedly concave 

 lateral margin. The stigmata are slightly projecting tubes on 

 the upper surface, almost below the anterior margin of the 

 abdomen. Stigmatic hairs long, rough, slightly curved, and 

 gradually thickened towards the end. The interstigmatic haira 

 are strong spines, rough with points, standing up, and curving 

 forward, considerably longer than cephalothorax ; there is a similar 

 spine, but shorter, and pointing more sideways, on each side, in the 

 same transverse line outside the stigma ; two pairs of similar 

 spines on the vertex, in front of the interstigmatic spines, each 

 pair being shorter and closer together than those behind it. The 

 first and second pairs of legs are of nearly equal thickness through- 

 out ; third and fourth pairs with coxa3 and trochanters enlarged. 

 Tarsal joints thickest near proximal ends, and longest, except in 

 fourth pair of legs, where the fourth joints are of equal length. 

 There are the following curved spines on the legs, like those on 

 body, but shorter, viz. two on each trochanter of first and third, 

 and tliree on each of second pairs of logs, two on each femur and 

 fourth joint of first and second pairs, and one on each similar joint 

 of third and fourth pairs of legs, two much smaller on each tarsus 

 of second and third ])airs of legs. There is a strong conical pro- 

 jection near distal end of fourth joint of each leg of first i)air, 

 bearing a long, line hair at the apex of the projection. All tarsi 

 furnished with numerous fine, short hairs, and there are a low 

 similar on the other joints. 



