114 
Annals of the Tkansvaal Museum, 
This tick is spoken of by Lounsbury in 1905 as Rhipicephalus (B) sp.. 
He says it occurs in Cape Colony in the high inland districts, most probably 
because more horses are found there, and not on account of the climate. I 
have had it sent in also from Basutoland. It is found principally 
upon horses, and cattle are seldom infested, even when horses are very 
scarce. Horses often become very badly covered with these ticks when, 
they run over the veld in the winter time: Very few are found during' 
the summer months. From adults to hatching of larvae, in Capetown, 
took 186 to 201 days, and is probably longer on the veld. Lounsbury; 
sa}'S that development cannot be forced in an incubator. There is- 
probably only one generation in a year. 
Genus RHIPICEPHALUS. KOCH. 
A cams (ex. p.), Linnaeus (1758). 
Ixodes (ex. p.), Latreille (1795). 
Rhipicephalus , Koch (1844). 
Phaulixodes Berlese (1889). 
Boophilus, Curtice (1890). 
Rhipicephalus , Koch, (Neumann, 1897). 
Lyes present. Base of rostrum wider than long, hexagonal on the- 
dorsal surface, forming on each side a prominent lateral angle. Palpi short, ... 
wide, the third article prolonged on the ventral by a short retrograde 
point; the first article by a lobe on the inner side, sometimes not very 
prominent, and slightly retrograde. Coxae I ordinarily with two strong 
teeth. Stigmatic plates comma-shaped, with a short tail in the female, and 
a long one in the male ; males provided usually with two pairs of ventral 
plates, in the region of ’the anus and known as (1) anal plates, next to the 
anus, and (2) accessory anal plates, smaller in size and situated laterally 
of the anal plates. Males usually with a caudal prolongation on the 
posterior margin of the body. 
This is one of the most important groups of ticks because of the role- 
which so many of its species play in the transmission of diseases. It is- 
especially an African genus, fully three-quarters of the species referred to it 
being found in Africa. 
It presents the most difficulties to the student of the Ixodidae. Many of 
the species seem almost impossible to separate, especially where one has 
a large series of specimens with all stages of variations. The immature 
stages are very similar, and even the most careful study may fail to dis- 
tinguish the species to which they belong. 
The females are more difficult to distinguish than the males. The- 
only characters which are easy to use are those of the shield and base of 
rostrum. With the males the characters of the shield, base of rostrum,, 
and anal plates are of most use. 
The males differ from the males of other genera by the fact that the 
body is much more slender, and after feeding, a few days it usually swells 
