THE ACARIXA OR .VITES—BAXKS. 



15 



times occur.s upon certain species of slugs {Luna,/)^ and sometimes 



attached to a tiy {Sarotphaga). In this country a mite {ITypopus eon- 



atlor Haldeman) has l)een recorded by Binney as found upon a snail 



It may belong- to this genus, Enj)ieft'>t. Pcti- 



thidtus embraces several species, having a 



l)lack body, with a red spot behind, and red 



legs. Here we may also refer to the genus 



AJycvs^ which is placed in a separate family. 



It looks much like a minute Tronihid/unu but 



has simple palpi. Two forms are known in 



Europe. 



-Venter OF a Bdella. 



. 1-J.— Egg of 

 Bdei.i.a. 



inu 



Family BDP:LLID.E. 



The members of this family are known as 

 •'snout mites," fiom the appearance of the 

 beak or rostrum. The body shows distinctly 



the divisioji into cephalotho" „ ,, 



1 til;. 11. 



rax and abdomen, the two 



hind pairs of legs apparently arising from the latter. 

 The cephalothorax is subtriangular, with a few long 

 bristles above and usually one or two eyes on each 

 side, commonly near the pos- 

 terior corner. The mandi- 

 bles are large, slender, taper- 

 more or less united along the median line, 



and together form a prominent cone in front. 



They are chelate in the typical genus, but in 



some of the other genera end in one claw. The 



palpi arise apparently from near the base of the 



mandibles, but really from a part of the bod}' 



below them. The}^ are either three or live 



jointed, the second joint being the longest. In 



some forms they are provided with spine-like 



bristles, but usually with tine hairs, the ter- 

 minal ones often of g-reat length. The antenna- 



are frequently elbowed between the second and 



third joints. The abdomen is usuall}^ broadest 



at the shoulders and tapering-, but rounded 



behind; it bears only a few hairs or bristles. 



The venter has the usual two apertures near the posterior part, the 



genital usually the larger. The legs are quite long and slender, with 



a few scattered small hairs. They terminate in two claws with a 

 ^ median hairy brush beneath. The hind coxa? are well separated from 



the anterior pairs. 



HllEI.I.A I'EKEGKINA. 



