TRACHEARIA. 309 



Ixodes,* the Tick. 



The organs of the mouth form, in this genus, a pro- 

 truding sucker or beak, which it plunges into the flesh 

 of living animals, and by which it adheres so firmly as 

 scarcely to be torn away. They swarm in hot coun- 

 tries, in woods and damp places; climbing to the 

 top of the herbage which grows by the sides of paths 

 and roads, they hold on by the hind feet, and wave 

 the others in the air ; the instant any passing animal, 

 or even man himself touches them, they fasten them- 

 selves, and instantly bury their sucker in the skin. 

 Here they continue sucking the blood, until they 

 become distended to an enormous size. We have 

 seen in North America, a species (/. Americanus] not 

 more than an eighth of an inch in diameter, and as 

 thin as paper, become swollen to nearly the size of a 

 horse-bean. The poor brutes become sadly infested 

 with them, especially in parts which they cannot 

 reach, such as behind the ears. 



Another genus of Ticks (Leptus)-\ preys upon In- 

 sects, such as Bees, and various Beetles ; swarming 

 so upon them as frequently almost to conceal the 

 animal, and to cause death from exhaustion. 



j, ixodes, adhesive. 

 f Aecrroj, leptos, very small 



