ON SOME NEW ACARINE PARASITES OF RATS. 



Genus Schongastia, Oudms. 



187 



Schongastia indica, sp. nov. (figs. 5, 6). 



Dorsal surface. Scutum trapezoidal in shape (width "053 mm., length '04 mm.), 

 and furnished with seven hairs (including the pseudostigmata), a hair being present 

 in the middle of the anterior margin ; the hairs of the posterior pair are the longest. 

 Pseudostigmata situated slightly in advance of the middle of the scutum ; the stalk 

 is of moderate length and the enlarged end oval (club-shaped). Ocular shield incon- 

 spicuous ; the anterior eye oval and well-developed, but the posterior eye obsolete. 

 A hair is situated some distance behind each shoulder in distended specimens, but 

 in examples which are not swollen, this hair is close to and practically forms part of 

 the following transverse series of eight hairs. Behind the middle of the body, there 

 are three transverse series, each of six hairs, and then follows a row of four hairs. 



Fig. 5. Schongastia indica. Hirst, sp. n. ; dorsal aspect. 



finally a pair of hairs at the end of the upper surface ; all these hairs are fairly long 

 and rather distinctly feathered. Apparently, there is a very sHght transverse furrow 

 behind the scutum and a much more distinct furrow or constriction of the body behind 

 the row of eight hairs. Ventral surface. Hairs on ventral surface only moderately 

 long and not so distinctly feathered as those on the upper surface of the body ; they 

 are arranged as shown in figure 6. Coxae each with a single long hair, that on the 

 third coxa being very fine. Palj) with the dorsal hairs only shghtly feathered ; 

 tibia with two ventral hairs, one of them very slightly feathered ; claw bifurcated, 

 the accessory branch being short ; tarsus with a little blunt rod-hke hair and six 

 (five ?) other longer hairs, four of them being distinctly feathered. Legs not very 



