George : Some British Earthmites. 183 



which much enhances the effect of the colour. This cannot be 

 seen in a decolorized or mounted specimen. The fifth joint of 

 the palpus is rather peculiar, and seems to form a sort of forceps 

 with the claw at the end of the fourth joint (fig b). In every 

 species of Ritteria I have yet examined, this part of the creature 

 seems to have some peculiarity. The legs are rather short, 

 scarcely as long as the body, the hind ones being slightly the 

 longest, and the fore legs the- stoutest. The penultimate 

 internode of the last legs is not materially longer than the 

 others. The end joints of all the legs are a little enlarged and 

 flattened from side to side, those of the front pair being rather 

 the largest ; all are very hairy underneath. The crista is very 

 peculiar, quite unlike any of those already figured. It has a 

 hairy capitulum, and is furnished with two stigmatic openings. 

 Each stigma has a long tactile hair, a little below the middle. 

 The rod of chitin' divides into two ; these separate and form a 

 more or less diamond-shaped opening. The two rods re-unite 

 and pass down as one, terminating in a blunt end, this portion 

 being about as long as the diamond shaped opening (see figure) 

 which has two stigmata w'ith tactile hairs, similar to those of the 

 capitulum. The eyes are placed on the back of the cephalo- 

 thora.x, rather wide apart. Each consists of a single ocellus. 

 The hairs of the body are mostly long, curved, and simple, but 

 some are spindle-shaped and plumose. 



The mite was found in some numbers by Mr. Evans of Edin 

 burgh, under stones below high water mark on the coast east of 

 Dunbar. Koch figures and describes a mite which he calls 

 Rhyncolophiis episcopalis. The description and figure agree 

 pretty well with this mite, excepting that I do not find the 

 round spots of a scarlet red colour, so conspicuous in his figure. 

 He also found his mite in a pine wood, probably not near the 

 sea, so that no doubt the mites are not the same species. 



' Fruit,' by W. Igg-ulden, F".R.H.S. London .\griciiltufal and Horticul- 

 tural Association. Price id. 



In this little handbook the author has specially aimed at explaining in 

 .simple terms all that is most important to be known in regfard to fruit 

 ■culture for small gardens. The booklet is No. 23 of the One and All Garden 

 Books, edited by Edwa'-d Owen Greening, and published at the popular 

 price of one penny each. It is fully illustrated. 



jgio Apl. I. 



