34 NORTH AMERICAN FEVER TICK AND OTHER SPECIES. 
The effect of antiheliotropism was always in evidence in these exper- 
iments. The light was admitted from different quarters at different 
times and the ticks always changed their course so as to travel away 
from it. These results are very similar to those published by Lahille 
from experiments with Margaropus (Boophilus) microplus in Argen- 
tina. The distance engorged females will travel depends upon how 
soon they can reach shelter. If they obtain protection under débris 
of any kind they seem to be disinclined to go farther. The greatest 
distance traveled on the ground out of doors was only 24 inches. 
It is popularly supposed that engorged female ticks often burrow 
into the ground. In a number of experiments with light barnyard 
trash in tubes it was found that females will work their way down 
from one-half to 1? inches. In such cases the masses of eggs assume 
various shapes on account of the surrounding débris. (See PI. I, 
fig. 1.) It was found that seed ticks from eggs so deposited had no 
difficulty in reaching the surface. 
HOST RELATIONS OF THE CATTLE TICK. 
Margaropus annulatus was described in 1829 by Say “‘from speci- 
mens taken on a Virginia deer in Florida.’’ Since that time we 
have been unable to find records of the occurrence of the species on 
deer. However, a number of instances have come to light recently 
in which undoubted specimens of Margaropus annulatus have been 
found on deer. The first of these cases was the result of an examina- 
tion made by Mr. R. C. Howell on a herd of tame deer in a park at 
Mount Pleasant, Tex., in October, 1905. Since that time Mr. J. D. 
Mitchell has found specimens on a deer at Oakville, Tex. Mr. T. R. 
Coker has sent specimens from the same locality and host. In both 
of these instances the ticks were found on wild deer that had just 
been shot. In February of the present year Mr. F. C. Pratt collected 
a few specimens of Margaropus annulatus from a dry deer hide at 
Kerrville; Tex., and in December he examined a fresh hide on which 
considerable numbers were found. 
The matter of the possible development of Margaropus annulatus 
on various animals, among them guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, and cats, 
has been studied by various investigators. Dr. J. W. Connaway’s 
experiments in Missouri in 1897 showed that the ticks would not 
attach to rabbits or guinea pigs. They did attach to dogs in consid- 
erable numbers, but only one of them ever matured. Recently 
Mr. B. H. Ransom has repeated the experiments with rabbits, dogs, 
and cats. On rabbits and dogs the ticks attached, but remained so 
only a short time. On a cat a female tick remained attached from 
July 25 to August 30 and molted on the host. Nevertheless, it did 
not reach engorgement. 
