9504 Entomological Society. 



iu a very short space of time the new work was found to be infested as badly as the 

 old; in fact, the portion that had been permitted to remain contained a suflicient 

 brood to contaminaie the recent structure. The di>gs were iieaily worried to death by 

 these parasites, and it ended by the whole building being pulled down aud burnt. 

 I may mention that dogs and other animals infested by these insects can be easily rid 

 of them by simply putting on a muzzle and washing tbem with a solution of arsenic 

 (a weak solution) in soft soup, allowing it to remain on fur a short lime, and 

 then thoroughly washing it out of the hair. Two applications will be all that are 

 necessary. 



" I have no doubt that in buildings slightly affected the insects may be eradicated 

 by a similar process, but when once they have been allowed to propagate aud enter 

 the timber joists, nothing but the total destruction of every part contaminated will 

 secure safety. Thus the whole of my range must come down and the wall be com- 

 posted before I can erect a new kennel. From my own costly experience, and the 

 instance above alluded to I may fairly place the Ixodes Ricinus amongst that class of 

 insects which are indirectly injurious to man in the destruction of his property. 

 I think this a question of more than passing interest, considering how seriously large 

 flocks of sheep or kennels of dogs become affected, without our attention being prop.erly 

 directed to ihe cause whence the mischief arises. In some districts the tick is much 

 more prevalent than iu others; and, from what I have recently experienced, I have no 

 doubt that the insects have been allowed to accumulate amongst the decayed wood of 

 some of our half-perished homesteads, and as the floiks are constantly herded in them, 

 and the sheep naturally rub against the sides, it is easy to conceive, when such a state 

 of things exist as I have just witnessed, how soon a whole flock might become 

 infested. 



" I omitted to mention that, in places suspected of being infested, the joists should 

 be examined during the hot sunshine, as these insects invariably come out to the edge 

 of the cracks to bask in the warmth, when they are easily detected." 



Mr. VV. W. Saunders had seen Major Cox's kennel last summer, before the 

 existence of the tick was known, and thought that the decay of the wood was 

 attributable to dampness, and not to the Ixodes, which view was corroborated by the 

 specimen of the wood which had been forwarded. 



Prof. Westwood agreed that the destruction of the wood was not caused by the 

 Ixodes, but probably by damp, with the assistance perhaps of some Oniscidae. The 

 exhibition was interesting, since it showed indubitably that the small brown creature, 

 which had hitherto been regarded as the juvenile form of the tick, was, in fact, the 

 adult male. 



Mr. Rich mentioned that he had found ticks to be most easily destroyed by rubbing 

 common grease into the skiu of the dog or horse ; a couple of applications would 

 generally be found sufficient. 



Paper read. 



Mr. J. S. Duly read " Descriptions of New Genera and Species of Phylophaga." 

 — /. W. D. 



