Dermacentor. 1 35 



in Europe, Asia and America ; California, Texas and New Mexico 

 being especially infested in the United States. 



Hosts. Dermacentor Reticulatus attacks man, cattle, horses, 

 deer, roe-deer, fallow-deer, sheep and rhinoceros, and probably 

 other animals, producing great irritation. It may convey infec- 

 tion but has not been incriminated in connection with Texas 

 Fever. 



Dermacentor Variegatus. This closely resembles, if it is 

 not identical with D. Reticulatus from which it has been alleged 

 to differ in the deeper brown of the scutum and its thinner cover- 

 ing of silvery rust, in the finer punctation and hairs and in other 

 peculiarities of doubtful constancy or importance. Stiles doubts 

 if it is specifically distinct and Neumann confesses the absence 

 of good anatomical differences. It has been found in Washington, 

 Nebraska, Nevada, New York (Adirondacks) and New Hamp- 

 shire, especially on wapiti (Cariacus Canadensis) and other deer, 

 which are supposed by game-keepers to die from its attacks. 

 Though it has not been found on cattle there is a probability that 

 they would suffer if turned out on its haunts. 



Dermacentor Electus. Dog Tick. This differs from D. 

 Reticulatus in that the body is nearly hairless and the stigmata 

 are punctate. 



Female. Dorsal shield elongate from before backward, some- 

 what lozenge-shaped, with notch on anterior angle for head, 

 leaving two projecting lateral points. Dorsum almost glabrous. 

 Head about 1.5 mm. ; dart (hypostome) with three rows on each 

 side of short broad denticles. Stigmal plates comma-shaped to 

 elongated oval, bear the characteristic punctations. Ovigerous 

 female may be 15 mm. long, by 9 mm. broad. 



Male. The rust on the dorsal shield is whiter, the colors and 

 spots are variable, but the punctations of the comma-shaped 

 or oval stigmata are characteristic (Stiles). 



Distribution. This tick is very common in forests and un- 

 cultivated lands east, and even west, of the Rocky Mountains. 

 While it has taken its name from its common victim, the dog, it 

 freely attacks man, horse, rabbit, antelope, panther, etc. It 

 causes much irritation and even anaemia and may easily become 

 the bearer of infection from animal to animal. 



