AMBLYOMMA HEBBJEUM. 107 



allowed to remain). They adhere most tenaciously to 

 the skin, and, he says, 'they are believed to introduce 

 themselves below it, and are very harassing, and even 

 create soreness and inflammation. They generally affect 

 persons who have been passing through woods, although 

 not often seen or found on trees or plants.' 



" Cuvier, after noting that ' they are found in thick 

 woods abounding in brushwood, briars, &c.,' states that 

 they attach themselves to low plants by the two fore legs, 

 extending the other feet so as to seize anything that 

 brushes against them, and, their claws being provided 

 with caruncles that act as suckers, the slightest touch is 

 sufficient to give them a hold. 



" Besides fastening upon dogs, cows, horses, and other 

 quadrupeds, they even lay hold of the tortoise, burying 

 their suckers so completely in its flesh that they can 

 hardly be detached by force and by tearing away the 

 portion of skin to which they are fastened. They deposit 

 a prodigious number of eggs." 



The regular treatment for Tick on infested cattle is 

 commonly well known to cattle-owners, but it may be 

 remarked that tearing the creature away, or trying to do 

 so, is apt to cause a deal of mischief. Unless some 

 treatment is applied to make it lose hold the creature 

 often breaks off, and the part by which it was attached 

 remaining in the skin is very likely to cause a sore. 



In a letter of Mr. Bairstow's dated Sept. 1, 1886, he 

 mentions that Messrs. McDougall's dressing (presumably 

 Dip or Smear) " is a capital thing for cleansing, and 

 certainly drives Tick away." Also in a communication 

 sent over by Mr. Bairstow, on Dec. 24th of the same 

 year, from Mr. H. Mapplebeck, Premier Judge of Dogs 

 and Poultry at the Agricultural Show held shortly before 

 at Port Elizabeth, Mr. Mapplebeck mentions McDougall's 

 "preparations" as what every S. African farmer should 

 have in his possession, so that they are presumably of 

 tried service : but for cases of this sort, if there is any 

 difficulty, probably a letter to the Editor of that useful 



