tick species, respectively. The 3 highest infestation loads were 
recorded for T. iphilcmelos (12.3), Streptopelia turtur (7.5) and 
Saxicola torquata (6.7). The 3 highest infestation rates (Table 11), 
for birds of which more than 100 were handled were Turdus phitomelos 
(16.8), Otus soops (6.4) and Oenanthe oenanthe (4.2). Other high 
rates of infestation were Turdus merula (100.0), Montioola saxatilis 
(45.5), Galerida cristata (25.5), Fatoo tinnunoulus (21.2) and Anthus 
trivialis (18.6). 
The percentage of Hyalomma marginatum^ the most abundant tick 
species, was always lower on the fall migratory birds (as H, m, 
marginatum) than on the spring migratory birds (as m. rufipes ). 
In Cyprus, these values were 81,1% in 1967, as compared to 95.0% in 
1968. In Egypt, these values were 27.3% and 43.7% in 1968 and 1969, 
respectively, as compared to 80.7% and 94.1% in 1969 and 1970, re¬ 
spectively . 
This project has yielded 2 new species, 1 has been described, 
(Argas (Persioargas) streptopelia)^ (Kaiser, Hoogstraal and Horner, 
1970), and the other is under description Cixodes near elongatus). 
Amblyomma nuttalli^ Ixodes tatei^ I. eupleoti and J. arhorioola are 
new records for migratory birds in Cyprus and Egypt. Distribution 
maps for the most frequently encountered tick species are shown in 
Appendix I, pages 138-148. 
These tick data are still being worked on in Cairo by Dr. Kaiser 
who is currently relating -them to habitat, behavior, and zoogeographic 
distribution of each bird species and in turn to the virus-carrying po¬ 
tential of each tick. This should permit him to draw conclusions on the 
epidemiological significance of the tick information. 
36 
