Ornithodorus. 143 



they should be driven from the dove cots by thorough cleanliness, 

 washes of mercuric chloride, painting with tar water, etc. 



Argas Persicus. The venomous bug of Miana, lives in beds 

 and is said to be fatal to strangers sleeping in them. Megnin 

 doubts this having seen them bite pigeons frequently without 

 material harm. 



Argas Tholozani, the Kene or sheep tick of Persia has a 

 similar reputation. 



Argas Fischerihas been found in Egypt, Argas Mauritianus 

 in Mauritius, Argas Hermanni in Egypt, Argas Moubata in 

 Angola, Argas Talaje, Argas Chinche and Argas Coriaceus 

 in Tropical America. 



The precautions to be taken against Argas are like those 

 recommended for Ixodes. 



ORNITHODORUS. 



Like argas and eyeless. Body oval, lateral border often straight or con- 

 cave, anterior border curved ventral ly over head, mammillated hemispheri- 

 cal elevations on skin. O. Megnini : Spinose ear-tick : Body lyre-shaped, 

 elongated, rounded ends, broadest in front of median constriction ; brown, 

 violet or black ; mandibles slender, internal apophysis with four teeth, ex- 

 ternal with three ; dart unarmed ; eyeless. Dart has teeth in larva and 

 nympha. Distribution : Mexico, N. Mexico, California, Kansas, Nebraska, 

 Texas. Hosts : Ears of equines, ox, and other animals ; attacks man. Pa- 

 thogenesis : in meatus causes irritation, head-shaking, rubbing, nervous dis- 

 orders. Treatment: Fill meatus with bland oil, and crush argas as it 

 emerges. O. Turicata : Mexican mite : Attacks pigs, all domestic animals 

 including birds and man ; very poisonous ; may kill pig in a night. O. 

 Egyptius. Distribution : Egypt, Senegal, Guadaloupe, — giant tick, i inch. 

 Hosts : equines, ox, carrying poison of so called farcy in cattle. (See Vol. 

 IV, 257). 



This is a genus of the Argasidse presenting the general charac- 

 ters of this family even as a rule to the absence of eyes. The 

 body is oval or with straight, sometimes even concave lateral 

 borders, and posterior border rounded. Anterior border curved 

 ventrally to form a cover for the head. Tegument mammillated 

 with hemispherical elevations ; depressions on dorsum ; venter 

 showing two longitudinal folds opposite coxae ; two transverse 



