JRemarks on some Parasites found on tJie Head of a Bat. 145 



figure of Satan. The head sent belonged, I beHeve, to VespertiUio 

 2npistrellus, of the European species of Vespertillionidse, a series of 

 creatures that even still, in the minds of the vulgar, continue to 

 inspire a singular dread, from superstitious feelings about the blood- 

 sucking propensities of the vampire. Though fruit and insect 

 feeders, the latter do not object in confinement to the dainties of 

 raw meat. Examining this head carefully, which had travelled 

 from Scotland, numerous small insects were found attached to the 

 basal portion of the ears internally, and to one of the earlets. Two 

 or three of these little parasites showed signs of life when touched ; 

 they were of a light fuscous colour, with dark irregular patches, and 

 one darker than the rest, that passed down the body in a some- 

 what wavy manner ; they were grouped at the feast in batches, 

 almost mouth to mouth, one batch containing uj)wards of twenty 

 {vide Fig. 1), others numbering fewer, and one only five. 



Unfortunately, being at the time pre-occupied, it became a 

 serious question how best to preserve the head for future observation. 

 The ears and earlets were cut ofi" at the base, and divided near those 

 parts showing the presence of the parasites; the head and other 

 parts of the ears were placed in Verril's solution, A, and the portions 

 with the insects in two small bottles, one with glycerine and sweet 

 spirit of nitre, equal parts ; the other, in rectified spirit and acetic 

 acid, equal parts, and set aside. They were not looked at until the 

 end of July when the specimens were found in each in good condition. 

 For closer examination several of the parasites were detached from 

 the skin by means of force, and the deposit in the liquid employed, 

 carefully observed for any that might have detached themselves ; 

 but only two were thus found. The insects, seeing they were all 

 hexapods, were at first taken for some of the Ixodidse, the " degraded 

 diptera," as Dr. Duncan calls them, in his ' Transformations of 

 Insects,' that form the " connecting link between the true insect, 

 the spider, and the mite." A nearer study of them has led to 

 the following remarks, which I feel some hesitation in ofi'ering to 

 the readers of the Journal of the Society, seeing I cannot find a 

 satisfactory clue to the different stages of life, nor indeed, in any of 

 the books at my command, the correct name of the insect or rather 

 insects, for there are two figured in the Plate. The average size of 

 those in the group may be fixed at the 58th of an inch. The body 

 is thick, somewhat oblong in shape, truncated at the anterior part, 

 divided by three fine transverse lines or divisions, and presents a 

 few rows of stifi' plumose hairs, set on the back, sides, and poste- 

 riorly : it has the appearance of being filled with dense irregularly 

 granular and fatty matter, besides the dark band of recent nutriment 

 before alluded to. When pressed, the body is found to be rugose, 

 and covered wiih. wavy lines as in the palm of the hand, and beauti- 

 fully seen in many of the Acaridae. No eyes were seen that could 



