CLASSIFICATION AND HABITS OF TICKS. 43 
and is surrounded by an oval ring, and that of the female appears 
as a transverse slit in the leathery surface. Both sexes are of the 
same dimensions when they become adult. The male, however, does 
not perceptibly increase in length and width by feeding, whilst the 
female does, and hence amongst specimens collected about a fowl 
house the females are generally larger than the males.”’ 
Its life history has been worked out by Lounsbury at Cape Town. 
As brought out by him, the life cycle and habits are strikingly dis- 
similar in some important respects from those of the true ticks, the 
general habits being found much more like those of the bedbug 
(Cimex lectularius L.) As might be expected, we have found the 
stages in the life cycle to vary somewhat from those he found. Unlike 
the ticks of the family Ixodide, this species feeds for but a few hours 
at a time, and then always at night, excepting in the larval stage, 
when we have found it to remain attached for five to eight days 
before dropping. There is also an extra nymphal molt. Unlike the 
ixodid ticks again, these do not die following engorgement, but live 
on, ovipositing repeatedly. Within a week or ten days from one 
feeding in warm weather they again find a fowl and engorge. <As 
many as five different feedings as adults have been recorded by Louns- 
bury, each followed by the deposition of eggs. 
In our experiments seed ticks were placed upon a fowl and obser- 
vations made to determine the period of larval attachment. In 
about three days from attachment they became rounded and black 
from the engorgement of blood. A few hours before dropping they 
commenced to flatten and assume the typical Argas shape. Attach- 
ment continues for from five to eight days. In September and Octo- 
ber fourteen days were found to pass after dropping before molting 
took place. The attachment for second and third engorgements 
Lounsbury found to last but a few hours, about two weeks to pass 
after the second, and a like period following the third engorgement. 
before molting. 
TaBLeE 1X.—Oviposition of Argas miniatus at Dallas, Tex. 
First oviposition. 
First engorgement Num- 
When collected. recorded: Wx. |) berior 
From— To— ber of | €888- 
days. 
1906. | 
IER Se AMS ee ee ee a en ge When collected..........- June 23) July 4 12 113. 
DON eee eee aaa eta ATSC AIS 5 2 0) Se Res se May 17 | May 30 14 274 
IDOE RE Sse Sat Nae CO Inns Suge ni aie CO ee ce seen ee Guek May 16 May 23 8 158. 
ED) OS te ep ON AS ORG LT eet |Get Ove Mer es et cee corte May 17 | May 29 13 169 
ID RSAC SUE IRE eee, Jee mere [eer Ov ce ee aise May 18 June 3 17 194 
LOA ley aaS ache RARE ess ss aaa e ill beaten C0) See o eee nSaA Ese aaEe May 18 May 24 7 50 
1D a) Gare BC Oe SDE BABS Aer aS Tnee: Semele ster Oo c ee toa May 16) May 22 7 32 
RNR s DAE RO RNS ofS no SR ean ee A ADI TelGpacn eek esse May 2) May 20 19 130 
MD) eerste nes aaa sree ate Sete met | Japs 0 Oe Soe Bee ee Aug. 1) Aug. 10 10 83 
