166 



NA TURAL HIS TOR \ '. 



spiders by their eight legs and the peculiar construction of the mouth. 

 There is one common misconception which it may be well to correct here. 

 People have heard of these mites occurring in the sebaceous follicles in the 

 skin of the human nose, and hence they think that the black specks, which 



Fig. 149. — Folli- 

 cle-mite (Uc- 

 modex follicu- 

 lar um). 



Fig. 150. — Upper and under surfaces of the European dove-tick 

 (Argus), enlarged. 



disfigure the skin of some persons, are these mites. In reality, these specks 

 are but glands which have become obstructed and distended by an accumu- 

 lation of their secretions. 



The ticks are to be classed among the mites. Sometimes they attach 

 themselves to men, but they are far more abundant on other animals. In 

 the warmer countries, like Texas and South America, the\ seriously affect 

 the skin of the cattle, piercing the integument and sucking the blood so 

 that their abdomens swell up as large as, or even larger than, peas. Other 

 forms, like that figured, occur on pigeons and other birds, and a near ally 

 of this species, which occurs in Persia and the adjacent countries, is said 

 to produce serious and even occasionally fatal sickness by its bite. 



