Some Littoral Mites of Millport. 131 
the manner of a female Zvodes, though to a smaller degree. The white border 
is due to the translucency of the soft cuticle, through which the ceca of 
the mid-gut and other organs appear opaque white. 
The male (Fig. 2) is of more slender form, golden brown in colour; its 
anterior and posterior dorsal shields being scarcely separated at the middle of 
the body. The surface bears a number of hair-like bristles distributed with 
some appearance of longitudinal linear arrangement. The legs of the second 
pair (Fig. 2, L.2) are considerably thicker than the others, and bear on their 
concave surface a number of projections of characteristic form. These pro- 
jections assist in the act of coition, as mentioned below. The individuals of 
both sexes are found walking about rapidly, and feeling their way by the 
tactile front legs. Males were not found, as a rule, in company with the 
females, except during the period in which coition was noticed. They 
seemed to prefer a drier situation than that favoured by the females. 
Foop and METHOD oF FEEDING. 
The situations frequented by the mites abound in Collembola, gnats 
and the larvee of Muscid diptera, also in Turbellaria (Gunda) and small 
Oligochetes. Living specimens of all these were offered to them, but 
only the Oligochetes were attacked. Shreds of raw mutton proved acceptable 
after a two days’ fast, and seemed to produce no evil consequences. Raw 
beef was tried by one of the mites, but this one died in the course of the 
next day. 
In feeding on Oligocheetes the mite uses its mandibles (chelicere), which 
are chelate and are retractile into its body (Figs. 1 and 2, Mps.). The 
mandibles are plunged into the body of the worm, and the mite then tugs 
until a piece of the worm is broken off. Occasionally two individuals 
seize upon the same worm, and engage in a tug-of-war. The piece broken 
off is carried about by the mite, and its interior is torn and sucked till 
nothing but the cuticle of the worm remains. 
CLEANING. 
The palpi (Fig. 2, Pup.) are cleaned by being passed through the pincers 
of the mandibles, and also by being rubbed together. The legs of the first 
pair are “combed” by the palpi and, at the tip, by the mandibles. The 
abdomen is “combed” by the legs of the last two pairs. 
COITION. 
This process was described by Michael (1886) in the case of Gamasus 
terribilis, and (1892) in the case of Hawmogamasus hirsutus. In the latter 
the male seizes with his legs the third and fourth, or sometimes the second 
