A. reflexus 27 



of San Marco, Venice. Berlese (1888) states that it is found about 

 Venice and Florence. Laboulbene and Megnin (1882) obtained 

 specimens from Pisa, and according to Perroncito (1873 and 1901) it 

 prevailed to such a degree at Turin as to make it impossible to raise 

 young pigeons. Birds 1 to 2 weeks old were attacked and died of 

 exhaustion. Terrenzi (1893) reports it as attacking persons at Narni 

 and as present at Tivoli, and Ajutolo (1898) as attacking persons at 

 Bologna. At Narni, according to Terrenzi, they wandered out of a 

 pigeon coop which had been disused for years and gained entrance to an 

 adjoining house where they inflicted troublesome bites upon the inhabi- 

 tants at night. 



Russia and Roumania: R. Blanchard records it from Odessa and 

 the larvae have been found on the horse in Roumania by Starcovici 

 (cited by Neumann, 1896, p. 5). 



Africa : according to Neumann (1901, p. 253) Simon found a large 

 specimen at Tlemen, Algeria. 



It is obvious from the foregoing that this species is not common. 

 One of us (N.) tried in vain for years to obtain specimens from 

 England, France, Italy, and Germany but it was only recently that 

 some were received from Magdeburg. Owing to the growing interest 

 in relation to ticks as disease-carriers it is however quite possible that 

 a more careful search in the future will lead to A. reflexus being found 

 to be more prevalent in Europe than has hitherto been supposed. 



Habitat : A. reflexus lives chiefly in pigeon-coops where it hides in 

 cracks in the walls and woodwork, the adults and nymphs attacking the 

 birds at night. 



N.B. For General Biology, Effects of bite and part played in 

 Pathology, see Section II. 



ARGAS HERMANNI Audouin, 1827. 



Figs. 34, 35. 



Literature, etc. : Savigny, 1826, PI. IX, Fig. 7 (resembles A. re/Saras).— Audouin, 

 1827.— Neumann, 1896, p. 13, Figs. 12, 13, here produced ; 1901, p. 253. 



Adults : Body oval, almost always markedly convex. Integument 

 of uniform appearance, very finely wrinkled. Numerous small discs 

 arranged as in A. reflexus. Margin finely striate, 75 — 80 fi wide. 

 Venter: spiracles about two-thirds (150 (jl) the width of the anal ring. 

 Anal aperture bordered by a few short hairs. Capitulum relatively 



