THE FOWL TICK. 55 
Seed ticks have been observed to gather on the ventral surface 
of adult ticks and it is thought possible that they are at times 
assisted in finding hosts by clinging to the older ones. 
In August at a mean temperature of 83° F. molting commenced as 
soon as the fourth day, an effective temperature of 160° F. being 
required. In one case a molting period of 32 days was observed. 
In this instance the individual was undoubtedly very weak as it did 
not succeed in freeing itself from the exuvium without assistance. 
Rohr states that with a temperature of 35° C. (95° F.) molting takes 
place in 4 or 5 days. 
TaBLeE VIII.—Molting of larvx (first ecdysis) of Argas miniatus. 
Temperature from 
Larve molted—days following dropping. dropping to date first 
tick molted. 
Dateengorged larve |Num- 
droppei—night of. | ber. 
| 
Num- 
| - . | Average 
2 ber | Maxi- Mini- aa SP 
415] 6] 7) 8] 9 | 10) 11] 12] 13} 14] 16] 17] 32] ee ae eam | daily 
ed. mean, 
| ; | | oF | <¥ °F 
Aug. 16,17,1907...-| 14|0|10;1/0;O0]0}/1/0/ojo;/o];o/ojo] 12]......)...... eee ee 
Aug. 17,18,1907....| 1010/5/3}/0/0/0/o0!/o]olo}o]0| ojo a ae ae Sener bs ng et lee 
Aug. 18, 19, 1907... 4) 1 0/1/0)/1/0/0/0]/o0]/o0]}o0]o0]o0]0 9 om Baty. san 
Aug. 23,24,1907....| 9/0/2/4/2/0]/0 0| 0 Oo}o}o0}]0|0]0 Se Eee Nery eo 
Aug. 24, 25,1907.-..| 6/0/3/0/0!/0/0|\o0;0/ol|o/o]ojoljo A RBM ahd) eer 
Oct. 19, 20,1907....| 1/0]/0/0]0]0 0/0| 0 0\0;0}1/0]0 | RR Nira, RIES) « 5 4 
Apr. 23, 24,1908....| 2/0}/0/0]/0/oj0|o0;o0/1/o0]1]}o0]o]0 2 | 83.0 | 47.0 67.90 
July 5, 6, 1908.....- 48\0|31/5/4]1 0/ 2/0 0/o0/o0|0]o0]}o0] 43] 93.0 | 75.5 83. 00 
July 6, 7,1908...---| 14/1/8/3]/0/0/0|/0;0/0]/o0|/0|0|/o]o0] 12] 93.0| 75.5 83. 00 
July 7,8, 1908......} 2}/0]/1|/0]0 0/1! 0/0 o}olololo}o 21 93.5 | 75.5 83.79 
Aug. 26, 27,1908....| 16}/0}4/3/4/0|/o0/o0;o0/o/o/]o/o]o]o]| 11] 89.5] 75.5 83. 29 
Aug. 27,28,1908....| 12/0]11;}1/0/0/o0/o;o0];o;o};o}o|o|o| 12] 89.5 | 75.5 83. 29 
Aug. 28, 29,1908....| 2/0}/1/o/o/o/1lololo/o|o|olo|o 21 89.5 | 75.5 83. 42 
Sept. 24, 25,1909....| 70/0/0/0/0|3 (36 lo} 1/0|/0/0/0/0]0] 50] 91.0] 56.0 72.9 
Sept. 25, 26,1909....| 33!10!0/0!0]8119/3!0]0!0}0!0]0!0] 30] 92.0) 56.0 73.7 
Sept. 26,27,1909....| 28/0/0 0| 3 4/1 Abe 0/0}0]0]0/1] 23} 92.0] 56.0 74.2. 
Sept. 27, 28,1909....| 201/0/0/4/12}4/o0/o0]}0/0|/0/0/0/0/0] 20] 92.0] 56.0 75.0 
Oct. 27, 28, 1909..... 37/0|0/0/0]/0/0(112)141710/2]/0/0/0] 35] 84.5] 55.0 72.5 
Oct. 28, 29, 1909... .. 32/0/0/0/0/0! 3/14 lo}0/0/0}/0|2]/0] 29] 84.0] 55.0 71.8 
Oct. 29, 30, 1909. 10/0/0/0}0}/0/0|5])0]3}/2]/0]0]|0}0]} 10] 84.0} 55.0 71.7 
Powe! & =o! 370 | vfeeleefee cee 
The nymph (Table [X).—Rohr shows that at a mean tempera- 
ture of 15° C. (59° F.) first and second stage nymphs may live as 
long as two years, while at a temperature varying from 17° C. 
(62.6° F.) to 33° C. (91.4° F.) all under observation were dead in 
469 days. 
This species appears to vary in the number of molts that it passes 
asanymph. As previously shown by Hooker (1909), there is a third 
nymphal molt in many of the individuals which have been reared. 
In view of the fact that the extra molt could not be traced to a 
difference in the sexes, the food supply, or the climatic conditions, 
it is thought that it might have been due to an adaptation that the 
species is undergoing, as the fourth ecdysis requires an extra engorge- 
ment before reproduction can commence. The nymphs, like the 
adults, require only a comparatively few minutes for engorgement. 
