SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



329 



plates are sickle-shaped with a few hairs (fig. 32) 

 on the anterior and posterior ends. The discs vary- 

 in number in different species, and are found in 

 varying quantities from twelve to twenty-five on 

 each plate ; besides which, there ai-e found one, 

 two, or three free discs outside the actual plate 



Fig. 32, C. ohhu-hans. — Female, genital area. 



embedded in the skin. The form of this plate is 

 qitite sufficient to identify this from any other 

 species previously mentioned in this genus. 



Male. — Length about I'O mm. Very much like 

 fig. 29 on the ventral surface, and in the form of 

 the genital plates. The dorsal surface has dermal 

 glands, but very faintly marked, not in any way 

 so prominent as those on C. conglobatus. This 

 last featiu-e alone is sufficient to allow of identifi- 

 cation in the male of this species. 



Fig. 33, C. ohturhans. — Male, inside surface of left paliJtis. 



Palpi are rather different from those of the 

 female, having several pegs at one place (fig. 33-a), 

 which give that part of the palpus a thickened 

 appearance. 



Localities. — It is a rather common species. 

 I have taken a great many specimens on various 

 collecting excursions. 



Piersig, in his work, describes a mite which 

 appears to be very much like this species. It is 

 named C. rotundus, of Kramer; but I have not 

 been able to identify it in Britain. 



VIII. — Curvijpes carneus Koch, 1835-41. 



Female : Body. — Oval, very much like C. uncatus 

 Koenike (fig. 15). Length about 2-5 mm. Breadth 

 about 1"70 mm. It is of a dirty brown colour, 

 with markings of a much darker brown. 



Epimera. — Small in proportion to the ventral 

 surface, but it is so much hke fig. 15 that another 

 figure is not necessary. 



Legs. — Exhibit no marked difference from 



those of other species of Curvipes previouslj 

 noticed. First legs about 1"60 mm. in length 

 fourth legs about 2'0 mm. All the chitinous 

 parts of this mite in colour are a pale dirty- 

 brown or dirty-yellow 



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Fig. 34, C. carneus. — Male, inside surface of left palpus. 



Palpi. — Very small in proportion to length of 

 body (fig. 34), being only 0'56 mm. in length, and 

 very weak in strvicture. The pegs on the bow side of 

 the last joint but one of the palpi are so small as 

 to be almost unnoticed under a low power ; but 

 the tactile hairs which spring from these pegs are 

 long and conspicuous. It will be noticed 

 that although the palpi of C. carneus have the 

 general structvire similar to all the others of this 

 genus, the bow part is quite different from any 

 of the others I have figured. 



Genital Akea. — Very much the same as in 

 fig. 15, but the plates on which the discs or 

 suckers are situated are more rounded in shape. 

 The number of discs on each plate varies very 

 much, but the mean number seems to be about 

 twenty. 



Fig. 35, C. carneiis. — Male, ventral surface. 



Male. — Length about 1"80 mm. (fig. 35). 



Epimeka are quite a different shape from any of 

 those previously noticed in Curvipes. The plates 

 are very small in proportion to size of body ; the 

 back pair are very much bent on the posterior 

 margin, and sharply pointed. 



