ANNALS OF THE TRANSVAAL MUSEUM. 
87 
. short feeding spells alternating with long rests of weeks or maybe 
months. SeA^eral molts are passed as nymphs, and when mature the 
female alternates feeding with egg-laying. The larval stage, 
however, never feeds, and does not move about much, but enters into 
a quiescent state soon after hatching, from which it emerges as an 
eight-legged nymph. This tick probably transmits human tick-fever 
in the Northern Transvaal and Mozambique in the same way as its 
relative 0. moubata of the Congo. 
ORNITHOBOROS S A VIGNY, I, var. PAVIMENTOSTIS, 
NEUMANN. 
0. pavimentmus. Neumann (190l). 
Plate III , figures /, g, h. 
This variety differs from the type in the following respects : body 
.more swollen, colour of a more ochreous brown, even when fully 
engorged ; legs (III , g) shorter than in savignyi; same number of 
teeth on the dorsal margin of article V and tarsi (III, /), but these 
teeth are stronger, and almost contiguous on legs I, II, and III. 
Females are from 14 to 17 mm. long by 11 to 12 mm. wide. 
Males. — Similar to females; 6 to 8 mm. long by 4.5 to 7 mm. 
wide. 
Nymphs. — Resemble adults; rostrum as in caecus. 
Larvae resemble those of caecus, only larger; length 1.66 mm., 
width 1.3 mm. The inner apophysis of the mandible is simple, and 
inserted lower down; the outer apophysis is bidentate ; hypostome with 
four rows of teeth. 
Eggs. — Larger than in caecus, darker coloured, nearly black, 
surface shiny; 1.4 mm. long by 1.0 mm. wide. 
Hosts . — Man and other animals. 
Habitat. — German South-West Africa. It hides in the sand 
as 0. savignyi does. 
This form was described by Neumann from a single female 
collected at Bethany, in Great Namaqualand. I have received a 
large number of specimens from German South-West Africa in all 
stages of development, and have also been able to work out the 
earlier stages of the life history. The life history resembles that of 
caecus in main, but it dilfers from savignyi in being somewhat more 
swollen, and in the characters of articles V and tarsi, but in no 
essential details. From moubata it dilfers in the characters of the 
legs, and in possessing eyes, as in the type. From caecus it is 
distinguished by its larger size, more brownish colour, presence of 
eyes, and the characters of the legs. The early stages of the life 
history are like those of caecus rather than moubata, i.e. the larva 
hatches, then becomes quiescent, and in a short time sheds its skin, 
and the octopod form emerges. 
It does not seem to me that there are sufficient grounds for making 
this a separate species ; it is, however, distinct from the type, and i 
Rave made it a variety, i.e. savignyi pavimentosus . 
