574 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
at any rate it was always very difficult to get papers at that period of 
the year, and that was not the first time it had happened there was no 
paper forthcoming at their meeting in June. 
Mr. It. T. Lewis said it might be interesting to mention that a 
further opportunity had been afforded him of confirming the observation 
described in his paper “ On the process of Oviposition in a Cattle Tick ” 
(see ante , p. 449) at the last meeting of the Society. About a week 
after that meeting he received another small packet from Natal amongst 
the contents of which were several living ticks obviously different in 
species from the one which he had previously described. One of these he 
had kept under observation since its arrival, and had seen it lay a large 
number of eggs during the interval. In principle the process was found 
to be precisely the same as in the former case, although a difference in 
species and size had modified the shape of some of the parts concerned. 
The depression formed by the retraction of the rostrum was somewhat 
smaller in proportion and more nearly triangular in shape ; the diapha- 
nous body was evolved from the cavity above the rostrum in much the 
same maimer as before described, but when fully expanded did not in 
this instance develope two terminal papill® with an open receptacle 
between them, but appeared rather to end in two very mobile hemi- 
spherical caps, the edges of which overlapped and moved freely over each 
other, and in this way kept the mucous chamber inclosed. The ovi- 
positor was extended in the same way as formerly observed, but on 
reaching the hemispheres buried itself between them ; whilst in this 
position the egg was laid ; so that although its passage through the 
ovipositor was quite obvious, it was itself concealed from view and in 
most cases was not seen until ultimately exposed by the withdrawal of 
the mucous receptacles. Its subsequent removal by the palpi took 
place in the same manner as noted in the original observation. Possibly 
owing to the exhausted condition of the specimen, the process took place 
at a much slower rate than in the former instance. 
Coloured drawings in illustration of these remarks were handed to 
the President for inspection. 
Mr. A. D. Michael said he had received two specimens of these ticks 
from Mr. Lewis, but unfortunately although they appeared to have been 
most carefully packed they were quite dead on arrival, whether from 
any treatment in the post, or from having laid all their eggs and so 
become exhausted he was unable to say. 
Mr. Lewis regretted to hear that these ticks had died in transit ; he 
was unable to account for it, having selected from four specimens the 
two which appeared to be the most vigorous and active, in the hope that 
Mr. Michael would receive them in good condition and be able to 
repeat the observations. They had come to him by post from Natal 
packed loosely in sawdust with other things and without any regard to 
their comfort or survival ; they had laid a large number of eggs during 
the voyage but seemed quite lively when unpacked ; as a rule ticks did 
not prove at all easy to kill with rough treatment. 
Mr. T. Curties said it would be interesting to know from Mr. 
Michael what he would recommend as the best method of packing living 
specimens so that they might be received here alive from long distances, 
