12 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



of these, which are large, oval, and divergent in 

 front, are situated near the middle line, about 

 one-fourth of the distance from the front. They 

 are surrounded by an interrupted circle of smaller 

 ones. Posteriorly are others radiating from the 

 centre, with one long middle line of this series, 

 which almost reaches to the centre. On the ven- 

 tral face is a similar well denned radiating series. 

 The male closely resembles the female, but the 

 former is more narrow in front. 



The nymph resembles the male, but is without 

 the sexual organ. 



The larva is round, 2 mm. in length, and has 

 the rostrum terminal. The three pairs of legs 

 relatively long. 



In this country this species has only been found 

 in Canterbury Cathedral, but is common abroad ( s ). 

 It is parasitical on fowls and pigeons, which it 

 only attacks by night, hiding itself in daytime. 



Argas vespertilionis Latreille. 



Synonyms. — Carios vespertilionis Latreille, 1796. 

 Caris vespertilionis Latreille, 1801. Argas fisclieri 

 Audouin, 1827. Argas pipistrellae Audouin, 1832. 

 Caris vespertilionis Gervais, 1844. Caris elliptica 

 Kolenati, 1857. Caris longimana Kolenati, 1857. 

 Caris deeussata Kolenati, 1857. Caris inermis 

 Kolenati, 1857. Argas fiselieri George, 1876. Argas 

 pipistrellae Westwood, 1877. 



Adult. Length, 3'70 mm. by 3"78 mm. wide. 



Dorsal surface surrounded by a margin formed of 

 somewhat regular folds, and shagreened within. A 

 deep transverse integumental fold behind the anus, 



which is situated about the centre of the body. 

 Rostrum covered by the hood. Hypostome with 

 four rows of teeth, and about six in each row. 

 Palpi claviform. Legs thick, cylindrical ; tarsi 

 truncate ; coxae in contact with each other (fig. 4). 

 Nymph. Rostrum fully exposed, and no trace of 

 Co) Science-Gossip (Old Series), vol. x. 1874. 



sexual orifice. Length, 4-95 mm. by 4 - 37 mm. 

 Neumann gives the measurements of the nymph as 

 2-40 by 2-10 mm. 



The above description is taken from two mounted 

 specimens kindly lent to me by Mr. H. E. Freeman, 

 being some of the original individuals found at 

 Blyborough in 1877 when removing the church roof, 

 and described in Science-Gossip (O.S. vol. xiii. 

 p. 104), and in the "Quekett Micros. Journal," 

 vol. iv. p. 223. It is parasitical on bats. 



Genus ORNITHODORUS. 



Body with thick sides, often densely covered 

 with small round shining granules in various 

 patterns, some deep furrows beneath. Eyes some- 

 times present (J.). 



No indigenous British species, but the following 

 has been imported : 



Omithodorus megnini Duges. 



Synonyms. Argas megnini Duges. Rkgnc/toprion 

 spinpsum Marx. 



Nymph. Length, 3 mm. to 4 mm. fasting to 

 9 mm. when replete. 



Body brown, diamond-shaped, and with the 

 rostrum exposed before repletion. Rostrum be- 

 neath body, and the latter squarer after distension. 

 Palpi filiform. Legs far apart, and coxae almost 

 entirely concealed beneath the skin. Surface of 

 anterior half of body covered with small brown 

 spines, replaced by whitish hairs posteriorly, which 

 are specially numerous in the hinder margin. The 

 stigmata are placed above, instead of behind, the 

 fourth pair of legs. These differ entirely from the 

 stigmal plates and peritremes usually present, and 

 consist of cone-like projections pointing back- 

 wards. The top is truncate, and perforated by an 

 orifice. Through this is a jointed organ, somewhat 

 resembling the terminal joints of the palpi, which 

 partially fills the orifice, and is furnished with 

 three hairs at the end. It can be projected and 

 withdrawn with rapidity. Its use is unknown 

 This peculiar feature, which, according to Neu- 

 mann, is absent in the adult, may suffice to cause 

 this species to be relegated to a separate genus. 



The female is stated by Neumann to differ 

 greatly from the nymph, which latter attains 

 dimensions at least as large as the mature adult. 

 It is in this state that it acquires most of the 

 reserves of blood, which the female utilises to 

 form its eggs- 



Two specimens in the nymphal state were taken 

 from the ear of an American visitor to Cambridge 

 by Dr. J. Christian Simpson. They were supposed 

 to have entered the ear when the American was 

 camping out in Arizona. This species is well 

 known in the States as infesting the ears of children 

 and animals. (') 



( 7 1 See " New York Ent. Soc. Journal" for 1893, pp. 49 to 52. 



{To he continued.) 



