THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



a particularly bad tick country, one generally ap- 

 points one of the youngsters as "tick toto." It is 

 then his job in life to de-tick any person or domestic 

 animal requiring his services. His is a busy existence. 

 But though at first the nuisance is excessive, one 

 becomes accustomed to it in a remarkably short space 

 of time. The adaptability of the human being is 

 nowhere better exemplified. After a time one gets 

 so that at night he can remove a marauding tick and 

 cast it forth into the darkness without even waking 

 up. Fortunately ticks are local in distribution. 

 Often one may travel weeks or months without this 

 infliction. 



I was always interested and impressed to observe 

 how indiff'erent the wild animals seem to be to these 

 insects. Zebra, rhinoceros and giraffe seem to be 

 especially good hosts. The loathsome creatures 

 fasten themselves in clusters wherever they can grip 

 their fangs. Thus in a tick country a zebra's ears, 

 the lids and corners of his eyes, his nostrils and lips, 

 the soft skin between his legs and body, and between 

 his hind legs, and under his tail are always crusted 

 with ticks as thick as they can cling. One would 

 think the drain on vitality would be enormous, but 

 the animals are always plump and in condition. 

 The same state of affairs obtains with the other two 

 beasts named. The hartebeeste also carries ticksy 



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