UNDESCEIBED ACARI OP THE GENUS GLICIPHAQUS. 269 



On some undescribed Acari of the genus Glyciplmgus, found in 

 Moles' Nests. By Albert D. Michael, E.L.S., .F.Z.S. 



[Eead 18th February, 1886.] 



(Plates XXXIV. & XXXV.) 



For some years past I have been, from time to time, investi- 

 gating the life-histories of some Acarine parasites of the Mole, 

 and in the Christmas of 1885, being for a short time in one of 

 our midland counties, I continued the inquiry. There were, 

 however, a few points which I could not succeed in elucidating, 

 and it struck me that I might possibly obtain the information I 

 desired, if, instead of continuing to search the Moles themselves, 

 I examined their nests. 



I do not, of course, propose to give any description of so well- 

 known a structure as the " fortress of the mole," but I may be 

 excused for referring for a moment to the nature of the actual 

 nest in the twelve examples which I dug up and examined. 

 Inside the domed earthen chamber, and about a foot below the 

 surface of the ground, was the nest — an almost globular struc- 

 ture about six inches in diameter, composed of dried grass and . 

 dead leaves ; the former usually forming the exterior, and the 

 latter the interior of the ball, although the two classes of mate- 

 rial were not strictly kept separate. In the larger number of 

 the nests I found but little ; in three or four, however, which, 

 when I dug them up, I had remarked as appearing to be fresh 

 nests, the case was very diflerent. 



On opening the first of these nests, and putting a portion under 

 a microscope with a low amplification, I was surprised to see before 

 me several Acari quite unknown to me, and very remarkable, 

 which I also found in the other fresh nests, so that my search, 

 whether it serves the original purpose or not, has not been fruit- 

 less. Amongst them were two closely-allied, but very striking 

 species, which I believe to be new to science, and it is with these 

 two species that I projDOse to deal in the present paper. They 

 were both found chiefly between the leaves in the interior of the 

 nest, and an examination showed that they belonged to the genus 

 GlycipJiagus, although presenting some rather exceptional cha- 

 racters. They were not uncommon, and I was therefore able to 

 secure sufficient material to give a fairly complete account of 

 them in all stages. 



LINN.JOURN. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. SIX. 22 



