178 LIFE HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICAN TICKS. 
Newly molted adults show no desire to attach to hosts. In fact, 
the habit of attaching to hosts in the spring months only is so firmly 
fixed in adult ticks of this species that it is very difficult to induce them 
to attach to hosts at other seasons of the year. We have observed 
both sexes to remain motionless in tubes in the laboratory for weeks 
and even months at a time During this resting period the ticks 
usually keep tho legs closely curled up to the body and it is often 
difficult to induce activity. 
About twenty trials were made between September 1 and December 
15 to secure the attachment of adults which had matured the preced- 
ing spring. Bovines, guinea pigs, and rabbits were used as hosts. 
In only two instances were any specimens induced to attach and in 
neither of these cases did engorgement or mating take place. In 
one of these instances 3 females and 2 males attached when applied 
to a guinea pig on October 4, 1910. All of the specimens changed 
their points of attachment a number of times, but no perceptible 
engorgement took place. One of the females remained on the host 
until December 22, or 79 days, and the male did not disappear from 
the host until a few days later. During the early spring months no 
great difficulty was encountered in getting adults to attach to guinea 
pigs, rabbits, goats, or bovines. 
When placed on a host the adults usually crawl about carefully 
for some time before attaching. On small mammals they attach to 
any part of the body, but on large mammals, in nature, we have 
found them to attach mainly between the legs, along the escutcheon, 
belly, and dewlap, and sometimes on the shoulders. On horses 
they frequently attach under the jaws and sometimes in the mane. 
In one instance a number of males and females were placed on 
the legs and dewlap of a yearling bull at 4 p. m.; by 5 p. mia 
considerable number of them had reached the animal’s back and 
were crawling about there. The next morning all of the specimens 
that could be found (3 males and 7 females) were attached on a small 
area on the top of the shoulders. 
Mating occurs on the host. We have not observed a male to 
attach beneath a female before it had fed for at least 4 days. Usually 
a feeding period of from 6 to 8 days appears to be necessary before 
the males start in search of mates. The males have been observed 
to insert their mouthparts in the genital opening of the females 
immediately after passing beneath them. In one instance, at least, 
the palpi of the male were not inserted with the hypostome. The 
act of copulation appears to occupy only a short time, probably less 
than an hour, then the males attach close to their mates, the ventral 
surfaces together, and the legs of the males clasping the legs or body 
of the females. It seems quite certain that copulation takes place 
more than once while the males remain beneath the females. In a 
