[40] Copulation in Ticks 319 



front of pair I of the female, and pair II in front of pair II of the female, 

 and so on. The male all the while feels about with his mouthparts for 

 the female's genital orifice. 



The process that follows can, with careful handling of the ticks, be 

 most conveniently observed by placing the pair in a pit made with the 

 end of a pencil in a ball of modelling-wax (plasticine). The ball may 

 measure an inch or more in diameter, and can be rolled about to the 

 desired position, being fixed there at any moment by slight pressure 

 against the glass dish in which it is contained. The female always 



Fig. 288 [1]. Ornithodorw moubata, ? . Showing the emptied portion of the spermato- 

 phore with the neck-shaped portion attached within the female sexual orifice. Drawn 

 with the aid of a camera-lucida (G. M. del.). 



seeks to regain her natural position upon a horizontal surface, so it is 

 necessary to immobilize her sufficiently to prevent this without hamper- 

 ing the male. This can be done by modelling the wax about the edge 

 of the pit so that it holds the female in place. Observations on 

 free pairs shows that this manipulation, if done carefully, in no way 

 interferes with the process. All of our observations were made with 

 the aid of a Zeiss binocular microscope which can be inclined at any 

 desired angle. 



The male, having found the female's genital orifice by feeling about 

 with his mouthparts, immediately introduces all of these (hypostome, 



