ACARI FROM BIRDS’ NESTS, 
WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES. 
Rev. J. E. HULL. 
In June last, Mr. H. B. Booth of Ben Rhydding kindly sent 
to me two Tits’ nests from which the brood had just flown. 
Both nests had a fair complement of mites, but the number of 
species was not above the average. The species were as 
follows :— 
t. Nest of Coal Tit. 
ORIBATIDAE. 
Damaeosoma denticulatum Can., D. clavipectinatum 
Mich., Tectocepheus velatus Mich., Oribates cus- 
pidatus Mich., Oribates sp. n. 
GAMASIDAE. 
Cillibano minor Berl. 
2. Nest of Blue Tit. 
TYROGLYPHIDAE. 
Glycyphagus spintpes Mich., Aleurobius farinosus 
Koch. 
TROMBIDIIDAE. 
Cheyletus eruditus Koch. 
It will be noticed at once that these two assemblages are 
totally different, so much so that there is not even an over- 
lapping of families. As a matter of fact, the species in the 
second nest are all of them characteristically fodder-feeders, 
which may be found at any time in barns, granaries, stables, 
and similar places; in the nests of sparrows, starlings, etc., 
as also in those of rats and mice. I did not, unfortunately, 
make a note of the materials of which the nest was composed. 
The nest of the Coal Tit was largely made of moss, and the 
mites it contained belong to the group of moss-feeders ; but 
this is true only in the general sense. The first two on the list, 
for instance, are not usually found in moss, though they 
belong to a genus that affects moss more than anything else. 
There seems to be some curious association between these 
two species, as I have found them together on several occasions 
—hbut always under stones in grassy places, and usually near 
the sea. I have no record of them from any locality so far 
inland as Ben Rhydding, or so high above sea level. They are 
distinctly local species, and their association may be simply 
a matter of similarity of taste. 
Tectocepheus velatus is perhaps more addicted to lichens 
than to mosses, but is found pretty commonly in both. O7i- 
bates cuspidatus is a very common species, occurring freely 
everywhere in moss, lichens, and detritus of all sorts. Of 
the other Ovibates I give particulars below. 
Naturalist 
