TICKS. 



195 



XII 



CASE de I'Egypte,' or in Lucas' entomological part of the " Exploration 

 de I'Algerie." We cannot, however, identify it with anything there, 

 and therefore have named it as above, provisionally. It is like, 

 but more than twice the size of Ixodes erinaceus, at least the 

 female is (which we have alone seen), and instead of having all 

 the feet, as in it, close to the head, has a greater distance between 

 their origins, a peculiarity from which we have given it its name. 



21, 22. 



Ixodes transversalis {Luc.).—2\, Enlarged sketch of ditto; 22. Sketch 

 of head of python, showing groove under eyebrow in which it is found. 



This is a species which was described 

 by M. Lucas from specimens found in the 

 deep groove under the eyebrow of one of 

 the West African pythons kept in the 

 menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes. It 

 will be seen from the figure that it is very Ixodes transverslus. 



like the female of any common species of 



Ixodes, with the exception that the abdomen is transverse instead 

 of longitudinal, and it suggests the idea that it possibly may be 

 the same as one of these with the abdomen pressed into a trans- 

 verse position from the confined and constrained situation in 

 which the animal has been living. It would appear that it has 

 been found more than once in the same spot of the python's head, 

 in different individuals, and never anywhere else, and if we 

 imagine an ordinary Ixodes to fix itself in the groove below the 

 eyebrow of the python, and to fill itself in that constrained posi- 

 tion, the abdomen might certainly not have room to distend itself 

 in the usual longitudinal direction, but be forced to spread itself 

 sideways, and if the insect remains fixed for a sufficient time, the 

 set of the abdomen might become permanent. 



Genus Sarconyssus {Kolen.). 

 Terminal joint of the palpi rounded or oval. 



N 2 



