45- 



SOME BRITISH EARTHMITES. 



Trombidiidae {Cou finned from page _S77)- 



C. F. GEORCxE, 

 K i it on-ill -TJiuiscy. 



Tronihidiuin hicolov (Hermann). This is^a rather small 

 Trombidium. Hermann says it is six times less than fttliginosum. 

 Its body, when fonnd alive is dark colonred, and both Hermann 

 and Koch, in their colonred hgnres, make it blue-black. I find, 

 however, that the dark colour is caused by the contents of the 



a. Larva of Trombidium boiosericeum (dorsal surface). 



b. „ „ „ (ventral surface, shewing epimeral plates). 



c. „ „ „ (last segment of 4th leg). 

 Three claws ; centre one larger ; conspicuous spine on 4th segment. 



d. Larva of Trombidium fuliginosum (dorsal surface). 



e. „ „ „ (last segment of 4th leg). 



Drawn on same scale as T. holosericeum. 



abdomen, and when this is squeezed out the mite is reddish^ 

 rather darker than the colour of the legs ; these coloured figures 

 are, therefore, rather misleading. Hermann says it is rare, but 

 I have found it in damp moss, especially in that taken from 

 ditches. Its body is in shape not unlike fuliginosum, being 

 longer than broad, widest at the shoulders, rather nipped in at 

 the sides, and rounded posteriorly. The hairs or papiUse are 



Naturalist, 



