322 Appendix I [43] 



the male mouthparts necessarily dilates the female sexual orifice and 

 doubtless excites the female. It is possible that a sticky secretion is given 

 off by the male mouthparts which serves to attach the neck of the 

 spermatophore so that its contents are fully voided into the vagina. 

 The male brings his sexual aperture practically into apposition with that 

 of the female, and when she is ready for impregnation, he withdraws his 

 mouthparts and expels the spermatophore which issues with the neck 

 directed forward so that it adheres to the tip of his hypostome and is 

 promptly pushed into the vagina. The male removes his venter from 

 that of the female so as to give space for the spermatophore to pass, 

 and the female venter at the same time becomes concave for the same 

 purpose. The flood of secretion from the male coxal glands serves to 

 prevent the too rapid drying of the chitinous envelope of the spermato- 

 phore and keeps it highly flexible until its contents have been discharged 

 — this may be especially necessary in such ticks as 0. rnoubata which 

 live in arid climates. The male reintroduces his mouthparts so as to 

 " plant " the neck of the spermatophore in the vagina and he appears 

 to rupture the tip of the spermatophore so that the contents escape 

 into the spermatheca when the bodies of the ticks are brought together 

 again closely and press upon the spermatophore, thus pumping out its 

 contents. 



Judging from the fact that we have not as yet observed empty 

 spermatophores adhering to the external genitalia of female ticks 

 belonging to other species, we must conclude that in other cases the 

 spermatophores are introduced in toto into the spermatheca. This may 

 be the case in 0. savignyi, for Christophers (1906, p. 42) states that he 

 found the " spermatozoa " (prospermiums) in this species " included in 

 cyst-like spermatophores " within the spermatheca of the female. He 

 figures two such spermatophores of savignyi and also flask-shaped 

 spermatophores in the spermatheca of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. 

 Christophers found spermatozoa in the oviducts of 0. savignyi. 

 Samson (1909, p. 186) has made a suggestive observation on Ixodes 

 ricinus, which indicates that copulation takes place in an analogous 

 manner in this species ; she merely states, without giving any particulars, 

 that the male impregnates the female by means of spermatophores. In 

 this species, Bertkau (1881, p. 147) and Samson (1909 a, p. 216) have 

 found that the spermatozoa pass up from the spermatheca into the 

 ovaries and there fertilize the eggs. We have also observed them in 

 this situation. Samson (1909 b, p. 495) states that the spermatozoa in 

 0. rnoubata only attain their full development in the ovary. 



