TA EPIZOA. 23 



nrd were tormented so grievously, that they eventually suc- 

 cumbed and died in great misery. 



Both sexes were represented on this caribou's body, the one of 

 a coflee brown colour both above and below except a 

 species of. shield on the back, about the extent of the thorax, 

 but, the latter and body not being segmented, this estimate 

 is only an approximation. Within the shield and imme- 

 diately back of the head was a ring coloured brown (the shield 

 was tallow colour) with three fringes of the same colour extend- 

 ing backwards from it nearly to the back of the shield. ■. 



These, ticks. have four legs on each side of the body, each five- 

 jointed, r.nd a sort of four lobed head. The legs end in an attenuated 

 segment terminated with a bulbous cctremity covered with ^few 

 hairs below and a pear-shaped sharp-pointed nail on the buter 

 or upper side, which is slightly hooked — evidently for prehension. 

 Whole length of the body one fourth of an inch. The other sex 

 same length, sjightly In'oader, underside same uniform coffee 

 colour, back drab with four or. six lines of interrupted coffee 

 coh:»ured and »slightly linear spots, extending from head to rear 

 of body ;. other characteristics the same as the last. 



Now here is an. animal which, the books describe as' an' inde- 

 pendently living animal feeding on moss and dry foliage on sun- 

 ny hillsides, and .only occasionally attaching itself to cattle, and 

 gorging. itself with blood, then falling, oft" to resume its natural 

 h.abitat,9nd is. therefore what one; would call a temporary parasite. 

 If this, be true, it' is now assuming the transition stage, and 

 will ^oqn become a bona fide l^arasite, for there^^were great num- 

 bers of eggs, attached to the hairs of the caribou's hide, which 

 showed .conclusively that it was abo-ut to have a numerous 

 family, which were intended to be educated from the start 

 in the parasitic proclivity. The question arises, are the writers 

 mistaken regarding its habits, or is it in the transition state and 

 about to degenerate into a true parasite? 





