THE ACARINA OR MITES— BANKS. 



101 



great numbers may produce a,sph3^xia in the host. It has also been 

 suspected of producing- peritonitis and enteritis, but Wilcox has shown 

 its presence in perfectly healthy fowls, so that it is not certain tliat the 

 mite necessaril}^ produces an^- disease. The mites are prol)!il)]y taken 

 up b}^ the fowl with its food. Although appa- 

 rently clumsy the mite is exceedingly active, 

 and can penetrate most of the tissues of the 

 body. It is viviparous, and the young at l)irth 

 have six legs. They also occur on most of the 

 birds related to or associated with poultiy. 

 Both species have been taken in this countr}-, 

 but Cytoleieloix is the more common. 



Family ERIOPHYID.E. 



The members of this family, long known as 

 Phytoptida?," are among the most curious forms ' 

 of the Acarina. They are extremely minute, 

 but make up l)y their great munbers. They 

 are strictly plant-feeders, and many of them 

 cause galls, fuzzy spots, or other deformations 

 on plants. These galls, unlike many insect 

 galls, have an opening through which the mites 

 may pass. The adult mite has but four legs, 

 all near the anterior part of the body; the pos- 

 terior pairs being wholly lacking or represented ])y tine hairs. The 

 body is divided into two parts — the anterior, short and broad, is the 

 cephalothorax; the posterior, long, tapering, and multi-annulate, is 



191. — Laminosioptes cys- 



TICOLA. 



Fk;. 192. — Eriophyes sp., side view 



the abdomen. There is a pair of free three-jointed palpi, and between 

 them the rostrum, from which may project the needle-like mandibles. 



«The change of name of this well-known group of mites seems inevitable, although 

 much to be deplored. Eriophiies Siebold has a year's priority over Phytoptus Dujar- 

 din. But Siebold did not carefully study these mites at all, and supposed them to 

 be immature creatures. Dujardin recognized their true nature and made many care- 

 ful observations upon them. European authors, however, have recently adopted 

 Eriophyes. 



