55^ THE TICK, 



Genus VI. — Acams, The l^kh. 



The ticks have all eight feet ; two ejes, placed one on. 

 each fide of the head, and two Articulated tentacula, in 

 the foTm of feet *. The tribe contains thirty, five diffe-* 

 rent fpecies, many of which have been inaccurately plac- 

 ed in the. gentis of lice.' 



The ticks are all produced from eggS ; the females bei 

 ing'oviparous'. Many* of the' fpecies of this genus are 

 carnivorous, and prey^ upon man, ias w^ell as other livsng 

 creatures. When, however, this food, is not to-be" pro- 

 cured, they are capable of deriving their fubfiftence from 

 plants and vegetabl'es. The djfentry and the itch, twa 

 infupportable difeafes, are both occsfioned by fome of the 

 fmaller acari infinuatiiig themfelves into the human body. 

 In the latter of thefe complaints, they dig under the fkin, 

 and occafion that raging pruriency with which the un- 

 happy patient is afllicled f . 



A cams loiigicornis is found below ftones and the bark 

 of trees. The abdomen and legs are of a red colour ; 

 and the whole infedl fomewhat refembles the iliape of a 

 pear The antennae refemble thole of the fcorpion, the 

 articulations being proportionably fmaller and more (len- 

 der ; their extremities termmate in a forceps formed by- 

 two threads |. 



Some 



•■ Syft. Nat. p. 1022. ■^ AcErus ScBbicJ, Ades d'Upfal, 1736.?. ^r. 

 ■) Fiiich, 8. p. 2. t, I. 



