TICKS. 



89 



maxillge end in a long, curved, toothed, sickle-like blade. 

 That this creature has the habits of the itch-mite is suggest- 

 ed by the curious, large, hair-like spines with which the body 

 and legs are sparsely armed, some being nearly half as long 

 as the body. These hairs are covered with very fine spinules. 



Fig. 63.—Tyroglyphus 

 (Ac-irus) sacchari. Great- 

 ly enlarged. After Pack- 

 ard. 



Fig. 54. — Cheletus spec, 

 larged. Alter Packard. 



Greatly en- 



Those on the end of the body are regularly spoon-shaped. 

 These strange hairs which are thickest on the legs, probably 

 assisted the mite in anchoring itself in the skin of the host." 

 It is quite certain that a number of other mites belong- 

 ing to various families can exist, for some time at least, upon 

 the skin of man and domesticated animals, and these mites 

 need not necessarily be blood-sucking species. For instance 

 Crithoptes monunguicvlosus has been found in Germany to be 

 the cause of an endemic disease attacking some laborers who 

 were loading barley containing such immature six-legged 

 and dark-red mites. Another mite, Cheletus, was found in 

 the pus coming from the ear of a sailor. 



E. TICKS. 



{Ixodidxv.) 



The ticks or w^ood-ticks are w^ell known to all people 



that live near uncultivated land, and to hunters and others 



that are in the habit of visiting forests. They all have 



learned that these parasites can be very troublesome to man 



