ORNITHODORUS SAVIGNYI, CORIACEUS, TALAJE, AND TURICATA 509 



Uganda and German East Africa, Congo and Angola, to Namaqualand 

 and the Transvaal in the south. It is called bibo in Uganda, moubata 

 in Angola, and tampan on the Lower Zambesi. It feeds on animals 

 and birds as well as man. Its bite is very painful. This tick is found 

 in native huts, living in cracks and crevices and in the thatch roofs. 



The female tick infected with the spirillum transmits the infection 

 to the eggs and the next generation. They appear to be able to live 

 without food a long time, and probably live for years. They lay their 

 eggs in masses on the ground or in crevices, and when they hatch 

 they are in the nymph stage with four pairs of legs. 0. monbata also 

 occurs in Madagascar with recurrent fever (Lamoureux, Bull. Soc. 

 Path, exot., 1913, vi, No. 3, pp. 146-149). 



Ornithodorus savignyi, Audouin, 1827. 



At one time considered the same as the preceding species, but can 

 be easily separated by the presence of two pairs of eyes. It is widely 

 spread over Africa and has been found in South India and at Aden. 

 In the Sudan it occurs in large numbers. King 1 records that a few 

 miles N.N.E. of Khartoum 370 specimens were collected in two 

 hours under a single tree by a well. It is found in Somaliland, 

 where relapsing fever occurs and no 0. uwubata, which it probably 

 replaces as a transmitter (Drake-Brockman, " Rep. Col. Office," April 6 

 and April 16, 1913). It also occurs in Tunis, where the natives call it 

 "tobbiah" (Weiss, Arch, de I'Inst. Pasteur tie Tunis, 1912, pt. 4, 

 p. 226). 



Ornithodorus coriaceus, Koch. 

 Found in Mexico, Paraguay and California. Attacks man. 



Ornithodorus talaje, Guerin, 1849. 



An eyeless species with somewhat elongate pentagonal body found 

 in Mexico and South America, called the "chinche." A variety of 

 it (coniceps) is found at Venice, etc., and another variety on various 

 islands in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic. Its bite is very 

 painful to man. 



Ornithodorus turicata, Duges, 1876. 



Without eyes. Indigenous in Central America ; attacks human 

 beings and pigs. The bite is painful and is often followed by 

 serious consequences. 



[So virulent is this species that pigs put in an infested sty often 

 die in a night. This " turicatas " of Mexico often reaches 6 mm. 

 in length. F. V. T.] 



1 "Fourth Report Wellcome Res. Labs.," 1911, B, p. 129. 



