78 



Aj^j^als of the Transvaal Museum. 



stoiit^ translucent hairs on dorsal snrface, more numerous anteriorly and 

 near lateral margins^ where some are set on the lateral edge^ all projecting 

 backwards. Anus at the posterior third of lengthy elliptical in outline, 

 one yer}^ long, slender spine on each valve ; six stout spines surrounding 

 anus at short distance from it, otherwise no spines on ventral 

 surface. Eostnou set in a slight pit with rim raised anteriorh^ and 

 laterally ; only the base covered by the body, remainder projecting beyond 

 the anterior edge. Mandibles as in nymph ; h^qDOstome spatulate, rounded 

 at tip, on each half nine small teeth at the tip in three transverse rows,, 

 then one transverse row of four teeth, followed by one or two rows of three 

 teeth each, then two large teeth in each row to near tlie base of the 

 hypostome ; palpi free, cylindrical, curved downward, article I as wide as: 

 long, articles II and III longer than wide, article IV conical, numerous- 

 long translucent hairs an all the articles, those on articles II and III 

 dentate, a tuft of terminal hairs on article lY. Let/.^ stout ; equal in length ; 

 numerous long hairs ; coxae contiguous ; tarsi very long, not so alu'uptly 

 truncate at tip as in adult : claws long. (Engorged) lenofh, 2 to P) mm. by 

 1.5 to 2 mm. wide, dark blueisli in colour, more oval in outline than when 

 unengorged, and resembles nymph, except that it lacks the radiating rows 

 of pits, having instead furrows which correspond to the roAvs of pits in 

 nympJis and adults. 



E(]!/>i nearly spherical, 0.5 mm. long, surface smooth, colour at first 

 l)right yellowish brown, tlien dark chestnut brown. 



Hosts. — Fowls, ducks, geese, turkeys, ])igeons, secretary bii-d. ostrich,, 

 canary, and man. 



Habitaf. — All the north-ea-t and north-we^t parts of .Persia,. 

 Turkestan, Eussia, Egypt, Algei'ia, (*a])e C^dony, Orange liiver Colony, 

 Transvaal, Mocambique (and probably all of South Africa), and x\ustralia. 



This tick is pre-eminently a pest of fowls, although found occasionally 

 on the other birds and animals mentioned. There is scarcely a fowd- 

 house in the Transvaal which is entirely free from it, and where fowls are 

 allowed to roost in trees the bark of such trees will be found to conceal 

 countless numbers. The nests of many of our Avild birds are also often 

 infested. In South Africa it does not, hov-ever, seem to be common close 

 to the coast. The same fact has also been noted in Australia. 



The larval ticks are easily transported from one place to another due to 

 their habit of remaining on a foAvl for five to seven days before becoming 

 engorged and dropping off. Thereafter feeding takes place only at night,, 

 and lasts only for half an hour to tAvo hours. Both sexes moult three 

 times before becoming adult, and while adult, they may feed as many as 

 six times. The males differ from the females only in size, being much 

 smaller, and in haAdng the genital pore Avide, instead of a narroA\' elongate 

 slit. 



Adult ticks have been knoAA'n to live in vacant foAvl-hoitses as long^ 

 as thirty-seven months AAdthout food, and still be capable of oviposition 

 after a good feed, Avhile larvae have lieen left Avithoiit food for eight months^ 

 and still survived. 



This Argas Avill probably be found .to convey some diseases of foAA'ls, 

 but its greatest injury seems to be in causing loss of blood. In a badly 



