CLASSIFICATION \M> HABITS OF TICK8. 
43 
and is surrounded by an oval ring, and ihai of the female appears 
as a transverse slit in the leathery surface. Both sexes are of the 
same dimensions when they become adult. The nude, however, dors 
not perceptibly increase in length and width 1>\ feeding, whilst the 
female docs, and hence amongsl specimens collected aboul a fowl 
house the females are generally larger than the males." 
Its life history has been worked out by Lounsburj at Cape Town. 
As brought out by him, the life cycle and habits are strikingly dis- 
similar in some important respects from those of the true tick-, the 
general habits being, found much more like those of the bedbug 
(Cimex lectvlarius L.) As might be expected, we have found the 
stages in the life cycle to vary somewhat from those he found. Unlike 
the ticks of the family [xodidse, this species feeds for but a lew hours 
at a time, and then always at night, excepting in the larval stage, 
when we have found it to remain attached for five to eight days 
before dropping. There is also an extra nvmphal molt. Unlike the 
ixodid ticks again, these do not die following engorgement, but live 
on, ovipositing repeatedly. Within a week or ten days from one 
feeding in warm weather they again find a fowl and engorge. As 
many as five different feedings as adults have been recorded by Louns- 
l)ii ry, each followed by the deposition of eggs. 
In our experiments seed ticks were placed upon a fowl and obser- 
vations made 1 to determine the period of larval attachment. In 
about three days from attachment they became rounded and black 
from the engorgement of blood. A few hours before dropping they 
commenced to flatten and assume the typical Argas shape. Attach- 
ment continues for from five to eight days. In September and Octo- 
ber fourteen days were found to pass after dropping before molting 
took place. The attachment for second and third engorgements 
Lounsbury found to last but a few hours, about two weeks to pass 
after the second, and a like period following the third engorgement 
before molting. 
Table IX. Oviposition of Argas miniatus at Pallas, T, c. 
Firsl engorgemenl 
r< corded. 
Firsl oviposition. 
When collected. 
Fr - 
To 
Num- 
ber of 
days. 
ber of 
1906. 
Mav 12 
June 23 
\l.-.> 1 7 
Mav L6 
May 17 
Ma 
Aug. 1 
July -1 
May 30 
Maj 23 
May 29 
June 3 
Mav 24 
Ma'\ 22 
Mav 20 
Vug. 10 
il> 
1 1 
8 
13 
17 
7 
7 
I'.l 
LO 
113 
274 
158 
L69 
L94 
:,() 
32 
L30 
Do do 
Do fin 
Do 
.do 
Do 
.do 
Do 
I)» 
Mar. 24 
Do 
Apr. 17-18 
do 
