GJ-. H. F. Nuttall and G-. Merriman 
43 
the male mouthparts necessarily dilates the female sexual orifice and 
doubtless excites the female. It is possible that a sticky secretion is given 
off by the male mouthparts which serves to attach the neck of the 
spermatophore so that its contents are fully voided into the vagina. 
The male brings his sexual aperture practically into apposition with that 
of the female, and when she is ready for impregnation, he withdraws his 
mouthparts and expels the spermatophore which issues with the neck 
directed forward so that it adheres to the tip of his hypostome and is 
promptly pushed into the vagina. The male removes his venter from 
that of the female so as to give space for the spermatophore to pass, 
and the female venter at the same time becomes concave for the same 
purpose. The flood of secretion from the male coxal glands serves to 
prevent the too rapid drying of the chitinous envelope of the spermato¬ 
phore and keeps it highly flexible until its contents have been discharged 
—this may be especially necessary in such ticks as 0. mouhata which 
live in arid climates. The male reintroduces his mouthparts so as to 
“ plant ” the neck of the spermatophore in the vagina and he appears 
to rupture the tip of the spermatophore so that the contents escape 
into the spermatheca when the bodies of the ticks are brought together 
again closely and press upon the spermatophore, thus pumping out its 
contents. 
Judging from the fact that we have not as yet observed empty 
spermatophores adhering to the external genitalia of female ticks 
belonging to other species, we must conclude that in other cases the 
spermatophores are introduced in toto into the spermatheca. This may 
be the case in 0. savignyi, for Christophers (1906, p. 42) states that he 
found the “.spermatozoa” (prospermiums) in this species “included in 
cyst-like spermatophores ” within the spermatheca of the female. He 
figures two such spermatophores of savignyi and also flask-shaped 
spermatophores in the spermatheca of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. 
Christophers found spermatozoa in the oviducts of 0. savignyi. 
Samson (1909, p. 186) has made a suggestive observation on Ixodes 
ricinus, which indicates that copulation takes place in an analogous 
manner in this species ; she merely states, without giving any particulars, 
that the male impregnates the female by means of spermatophores. In 
this species, Bertkau (1881, p. 147) and Samson (1909 a, p. 216) have 
found that the spermatozoa pass up from the spermatheca into the 
ovaries and there fertilize the eggs. We have also observed them in 
this situation. Samson (1909 b, p. 495) states that the spermatozoa in 
0. mouhata only attain their full development in the ovary. 
