132 
Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
■curved, the two extremities pointed and almost similar, punctuations 
numerous y no accessory plates nor caudal prolongations. Rostrum with 
base twice as wide as long, marked with two or three large punctuations ; 
the posterior and lateral angles salient ; palpi shorter than the base, 
articles II and III of the same length, wider than long ; article I very 
visible on its dorsal surface ; prolonged in a retrograde point on 
the ventral surface ; a. retrograde spine ventral and anterior on 
article III ; hypostome with six rows of teeth. Legs medium, not 
punctured, conforming to type ; coxae I with an interior prolongation 
visible from the dorsal surface. 
Female (young). — Body of the same form, dimensions, and colours as 
in the male. Shield shining, oval-lozenge shaped, scarcely longer than 
wide ; cervical grooves deep at their origin, scarcely marked and almost 
joining the posterior edge ; marginal grooves united at their origin to the 
cervical grooves, very superficial, reaching almost the posterior margin ; 
punctuations unequal, numerous, superficial, larger near the latero-anterior 
•edges, and in the middle space ; eyes, large, flat, greenish yellow, situated 
near the middle of the length of the shield. Dorsal surface shining, 
glabrous, with superficial grooves ; a few scattered punctuations ; 
posterior festoons present ; marginal groove passing from the shield to the 
posterior limit cf the penultimate festoon. Ventral surface wrinkled, 
glabrous, a little punctured. Rostrum conforming to the type ; the base 
more than twice as wide as long, with posterior angles not prominent 
porose areas large, oval, divergent, separated by more than their width. 
Legs long, slender, with punctuations superficial ; long hairs on the ventral 
surface of all the articles. 
Hosts. — Cattle, wild Cape dog. 
Habitat. — Cape Colony, Transvaal. 
The habits of this tick are very similar to those of R. appendiculatus , 
•of which it may be only a variety, but more specimens of the adults are 
found on the face of the host, and the nymphs seem to require longer for 
'engorgement. It is not very common in the Transvaal. 
RHIPICEPHALUS SIMUS. KOCH . 
The Black-pitted Tick. 
Rhip. simus, ICoch (1844, 1847). 
Rhip. senegalensis , Koch (1844, 1847). 
Rhip. praetextatus, Gerstacker (1873). 
Rhip. simus , Koch (’Neumann, 1897). 
Plate VIII, figure f ; Plate IX, figure f ; Plate X, figures f, i ; Plate XI , 
figures c, f, h. 
Male. — Body oval, rounded behind, where it is twice as wide as in 
front ; length 4 to 6 mm. (without rostrum) by 2.2 to 3.5 mm. wide. Dorsal 
shield (VIII, f) a little convex, shining, very dark coloured, almost black, 
glabrous, covering all the dorsal surface, except on the largest individuals 
when it is bordered in front and behind by a narrow margin of the body ; 
•cervical grooves deep, wide and short, a little divergent ; eyes large, 
yellowish, marginal groove deep, extending from the eyes to the anterior 
'edge of the penultimate or ante-penultimate festoon ; festoons elongate. 
