437 
Distribution  outside  the  Island  of  Jamaica.  Australia,  South 
America,  and  several  of  the  West  Indian  Islands.  Very  closely  allied 
forms  occur  also  in  South  Africa  and  Japan. 
LARGE  RED  TICK 
Rhifice-phalus  sanguineus f  Latr. 
Unengorged  female.  Dark  red-brown;  scutum  of  the  same 
colour  with  dark  red-black  or  pitchy  markings,  especially  towards  the 
marguns.  Length  4  to  5  mm. 
Engorged  or  reflete  female.  Resembling  very  closely  small 
specimens  of  the  Texas-fever  tick  ifB.  annulatus  australis).  Length 
5' 50  to  6  mm. 
Male.  Dark  red-brown  ;  scutum  of  the  same  colour,  with  intense 
black  or  pitchy  markings  visible  under  a  pocket  lens.  Length  2  to 
3  mm. 
Habits.  The  life-cycle  of  this  species  has  not  apparently  been 
studied,  but  the  probabilities  are  that  both  moults  are  passed  off  the 
host,  so  that  in  this  respect  it  would  resemble  the  silver  tick 
(A.  cajanense)  in  its  habits.  Structurally  the  members  of  this  genus 
closely  resemble  the  Texas  fever  tick  (jVIar garofus  annulatus),  and 
it  IS  comparatively  recently  that  they  have  been  separated  from 
Margarofus.  Miss  C.  Nuttall,  Stony  Hill,  St.  Andrew,  who  kindly- 
forwarded  a  number  of  specimens  which  were  taken  from  her  mastiffs, 
says  that  ‘  these  ticks  are  a  source  of  serious  annoyance,  as  they 
necessitate  the  grooming  of  the  dogs  twice  daily.  The  small  flat 
brown  ones  attach  themselves  between  the  toes,  and  are  generally 
found  in  clusters  of  three  or  four.  Their  bite  does  not  seem  to  cause 
the  dogs  much  pain,  nor  do  they  trouble  us  and  I  have  never  been 
bitten  by  them.  The  grey  specimens  (nymphs)  get  into  the  hair  of 
the  dogs  and  bite  chiefly  about  the  neck.  They  fall  off  when  fed  to 
repletion,  but  the  result  to  the  dog  is  a  lump  about  the  size  of  a  grain 
of  barley  with  a  blood  scab  at  the  top,  and  quite  denuded  of  hair. 
You  may  imagine  the  misery  to  the  dog  when  it  has  chanced  into  a 
nest  of  twenty  or  thirty  of  this  variety;  and  the  appearance  of  the 
animal  is  that  of  a  badly  “  surfeited  ”  horse.  It  is  some  weeks  before 
the  hair  grows  again.  The  dogs  do  not  appear  to  have  fever,  but  are 
Determined  by  Professor  G.  Neumann,  to  whom  the  Author  extends  sincere 
thanks. 
EE 
