THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 289 



the early morning, that is between four and ^ve o'clock; 

 after the latter hour most of the moths fall a prey to the irre- 

 pressible sparrows. 



Red Velvety Acarus. — The insect sent is the Acarus holo- 

 sericeus of Linneus, Trombidium holosericeum of Leach. 

 This beautiful creature is not the red spider of gardeners, 

 which, I think, is not to be found at this early season of the 

 year. The Trombidium is apparently harmless ; it crawls 

 over all kinds of low plants without doing them any apparent 

 injury, and lays its eggs on stones : these eggs have sorely 

 puzzled our microscopists, and have been described as 

 Fungi, to the great delectation of entomologists, who are 

 rather too apt to ridicule the labours of that unlearned body. 

 Should the time ever arrive when Microscopy and Entomology 

 shall go hand in hand, important discoveries will certainly 

 result. 



Acarus in Sheep, — In reply to three inquiries on this 

 annoying animal, I regret to acknowledge my inability to 

 give any available information. Every farmer who has 

 observed and examined it declines to distinguish it from the 

 tag or sheep-tick, so universally known as an inhabitant of 

 wool. This last is very familiar to entomologists under the 

 name of Melophagus ovinus ; it is one of that anomalous 

 group of dipterous insects, the eggs and larvae of which are 

 never extruded by the usual process, but pass these stages 

 within the abdomen of the mother : when full grown they 

 change to an egg-shaped chrysalis, which is extruded by the 

 ordinary channel for the passage of an egg. In the second 

 volume of * Transactions of the Wernerian Natural History 

 Society of Edinburgh' is an excellent paper, by Dr. Leach, 

 on these curious insects. The specimens, however, which 

 have been sent me for examination, have no affinity with the 

 Melophagus, but belong to the genus Ixodes of the tribe 

 Acaridea, and are certainly allied to the dog-tick, Ixodes 

 Kicinus. 



The Tsetse, — After reading Mr. Buxton's note (Entom. 

 284) I think there must be a general feeling of regret that so 

 accomplished an entomologist should traverse the Tsetse 

 region, should be frequently bitten by a Hematopota or 

 " cleg," should prove from personal experience that its bite 

 left no mark or inflammation, and yet should remain satisfied 



