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New Species of Ticks 
The difficulties presented by the genus Haemaphysalis are chiefly 
due to the fact that its principal characteristics are mainly negative. 
In the absence of ornamentation, of eyes, of anal plates in the male, 
and of lateral grooves in the female, the points available for specific 
diagnosis are much reduced in number. Nevertheless, there is no lack 
of clearly defined forms, and it is noteworthy that, owing to the slight 
sexual dimorphism, there is less than the usual danger—certainly vastly 
less than in Rliipicephalus —in establishing a new species for one sex 
only. It is unfortunate that certain species fail to conform to the 
general type in a point which is, so far as general facies is concerned, 
the most striking characteristic of the genus as a whole—namely, in the 
form of the palps. These are, typically, short and conical, the second 
article projecting laterally. In certain cases, however, they are 
distinctly long, and the lateral salience may be much reduced or even 
entirely absent. An extreme example is the new variety of H. inermis 
(var. aponommoides ) described below. It seems impossible to remove such 
aberrant forms to a new genus, for there is no clear line of demarcation. 
We propose the following diagnosis for the genus Haemaphysalis: 
Inornate, eyeless ticks, of comparatively small size and generally rather 
feebly chitinised ; sexual dimorphism slight, the being destitute of 
anal plates. Capitulum with basis sub-rectangular, and with palps 
normally short and conical, broadest near the posterior end of article 2. 
Female scutum without lateral groove; trochanter I with blade-like 
dorsal retrograde process ; spiracle sub-circular or short-comma-shaped; 
coxa I never bifid. 
My thanks are due to Mr N. Cunliffe, B.A., for his careful drawing 
of the figures given below, and for other assistance in the preparation of 
this paper. 
Haemaphysalis aborensis n. sp. 
Male : Unknown. 
Female : (Unfed, and perhaps not fully chitinised). 
Scutum: Broader than long (l - 5 x T8 mm.), broad-oval, pale yellow 
in the specimen ; punctations numerous and fairly large on the lateral 
areas and on the posterior portion, but inconspicuous in the median 
field ; cervical grooves visible to the posterior border. 
Capitulum : Basis much broader than long, cornua short and blunt; 
porose areas ill-defined, ovate, the interval greater than their diameter; 
palps with very slight and obtuse lateral salience on article 2, of which 
the internal border is nearly straight, and much longer than the 
