328 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Palpi. — About 0-26 mm. in length. The inside 

 surface of right-hand palpus is represented by 

 fig. 28. 



Fig. 28, C. conglohatus. — Inside surface of rig-ht palpus. 



Genital Area. — From fig. 27 it will be seen 

 that the chief point of identification lies in this 

 part, when compared with those species of this 

 genus already noticed. There are four small 

 plates, two on each side of the fissure. In some 

 cases I cannot find the posterior plates at all, as 

 they do not appear to be developed; but the 

 three discs are generally there and close together 

 (fig. 27-a). The number of independent discs 

 varies in different specimens, as is usual, but as a 

 rule they are about ten on each side. 



Male. — Smaller than female, measuring about 

 0'60 mm. in length. Fig. 29 shows the ventral 

 surface of the male. In colour it is about the 

 same as in the female, but generally a little darker 



Fig. 29, C. conglohatus. — Male, ventral surface. 



in tone. The eyes appear much larger than those 

 of the female, and the dermal glands are also 

 much more conspicuous than they are in that 

 sex. The tarsi of the third pair of feet have 

 the claws so small as to render their observation 

 a matter of difficulty, though the tarsi have the 

 appearance of having been cut through. 



Nymph. — On the ventral surface of the nymph 

 stage of this mite, it will be noticed (fig. 30) that 

 the nymphs, with few exceptions, have only two 

 genital suckers on each side of the median line. 



The genital fissure in this stage, with few excep- 

 tions, is not developed at all in these nymphs. 

 I have taken two specimens of this particular 

 mite showing an inert stage between the nymph 

 and the imago. They were found attached to an 

 aquatic plant in a small pond in Folkestone 



Fig. 30, C. conglohatus. — Nymph stage. 



Warren. Each was enclosed in a transparent 

 integument; so transparent was this protecting 

 skin that the whole of the mite could be seen 

 within and the species recognised. 



Localities. — Curvipes conglohatus is very com- 

 mon. I have taken it in neai'ly every collecting 

 excursion round London, also in Suffolk, Derby- 

 shire, North Wales, Kent, Sussex, and Berkshire. 

 I have had several sent to me by Mr. George, of 

 Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. 



VII. — Curvipes obturbans Piersig. 



Female. — Body oval. Very much like fig. 27 

 in outline. Length about 1"28 mm.. Width about 

 1"0 mm. Colour a dark yellow with bro^vn mark- 

 ings on the dorsal surface. 



Legs. — First pair about O'BB mm. in length ; 

 the fourth pair being about 1"12 mm. Colour a 

 slaty-blue, sometimes inclined to yellow. There 

 is not anything sufficiently characteristic to need 

 a figure of these limbs. 



Epimera. — About the same in shape as in 

 fig. 27. They are blue in colour, like the legs. 

 All the chitinous parts in this species are gener- 

 ally of a slaty-blue. 



Fig. 31, C. obturlans. — Female, inside surface of left palpus. 



Palpi. — About 0'52 mm. long. Two pegs are 

 very plainly seen (fig. 31) on the boAv edge of the 

 penultimate joint. 



Genital Area. — As is usual, it will be seen 

 this is the chief point of identification. The 



