THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 289 
the early morning, that is between four and five o’clock: 
after the latter hour most of the moths fall a prey to the irre- 
pressible sparrows. 
Red Velvety Acarus.—The insect sent is the Acarus holo- 
sericeus of Linneus, Trombidium holosericeum of Leach. 
This beautiful creature is mot the red spider of gardeners, 
which, I think, is not to be found at this early season of the 
year. The Trombidium is apparently harmless; it crawls 
over all kinds of low plants without doing them any apparent 
injury, and lays its eggs on stones: these eggs have sorely 
puzzled our microscopists, and have been described as 
Fungi, to the great delectation of entomologists, who are 
rather too apt to ridicule the labours of that unlearned body. 
Should the time ever arrive when Microscopy and Entomology 
shall go hand in hand, important discoveries will certainly 
result. 
Acarus in Sheep.—tIn reply to three inquiries on this 
annoying animal, I regret to acknowledge my inability to 
give any available information. Every farmer who has 
observed and examined it declines to distinguish it from the 
tag or sheep-tick, so universally known as an inhabitant of 
wool. This last is very familiar to entomologists under the 
name of Melophagus ovinus; it is one of that anomalous 
group of dipterous insects, the eggs and larve of which are 
never extruded by the usual process, but pass these stages 
within the abdomen of the mother: when full grown they 
change to an egg-shaped chrysalis, which is extruded by the 
ordinary channel for the passage of an egg. In the second 
volume of ‘Transactions of the Wernerian Natural History 
Society of Edinburgh’ is an excellent paper, by Dr. Leach, 
on these curious insects. The specimens, however, which 
have been sent me for examination, have no affinity with the 
Melophagus, but belong to the genus Ixodes of the tribe 
Acaridea, and are certainly allied to the dog-tick, Ixodes 
Ricinus, 
The Tsetse.—After reading Mr. Buxton’s note (Entom. 
284) I think there must be a general feeling of regret that so 
accomplished an entomologist should traverse the Tsetse 
region, should he frequently bitten by a Hematopota or 
“leg,” should prove from personal experience that its bite 
left no mark or inflammation, and yet should remain satisfied 
