HOST RELATIONS OF CATTLE TICK. BD 
In our experiments with ticks we have kept several dogs primarily 
for experiments with species other than Margaropus annulatus. At 
the same time we have repeatedly sprinkled thousands of seed ticks 
of Margaropus annulatus on these dogs, but in no case have we noticed 
that attachment took place. This, with the work of Connaway, 
Schroeder, and Ransom, seems to indicate that dogs can play but a 
very unimportant part as hosts for the cattle tick. Ransom men- 
tions the fact that the collection of the Bureau of Animal Industry 
contains specimens of Margaropus annulatus collected from a dog, 
from which host Francis (1894) seems to have been the first to report it. 
- One of the writers has had one case of an attachment of Margaropus 
annulatus to his person. This was a male specimen that attached 
between the fingers of the hand. It was removed after about half an 
hour. Mr. Ransom mentions a similar case in which, however, the 
specimen was a female and remained attached to his hand for twenty- 
four hours before it was removed. Attachment to human beings must 
be very rare. The junior author had worked with thousands of 
specimens of ticks before and after the single case of attachment that 
has been mentioned. 
In addition to the abnormal and unusual host relations mentioned 
above, there are not infrequent instances in which Margaropus annu- 
latus has been found to occur on horses, mules, and asses. 
All this work shows clearly the remarkable host restriction of the 
cattle tick that is most important from the viewpoint of its attempted 
eradication. 
The early records of Packard, showing the occurrence of the cattle 
tick on a porcupine and a similar record of its occurrence on the 
rabbit in Idaho, must have been due to a misidentification of the 
species. 
The strict instinct for the proper host in the cattle tick is shown in 
the extreme infrequency of attachments of ticks to each other. 
Thousands of ticks have been sent to the laboratory alive inclosed 
together in tin or wooden boxes. In only one case was it found that 
a tick had inserted its rostrum in another. This happened in a lot 
collected in southwest Texas by Mr. J. D. Mitchell on April 19. A 
female had inserted its beak firmly on the lateral dorsal portion 
behind the posterior coxe. The two specimens were placed in 
alcohol and still remained connected.“ 
RELATION BETWEEN RATION AND TICK INFESTATION. 
For several months after experiments were started at Dallas in 
placing seed ticks on the steer used for experimental purposes it was 
found that a surprisingly small proportion ever became adult. In 
@Since the above was written important discoveries regarding the occurrence of 
Margaropus annulatus on sheep have been made bythe Bureau of Entomology. See 
Circular 91, Bureau of Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture, issued July 3)1907. 
