w. M. Mann.
A Cursorial Tick.
Psyche 22:60-61, 1915.

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Psyche
[April
A CURSORIAL TICK.
BY WM. M. MANN,
Bussey Institution, Harvard University.
During March and April, 1914, while traveling across the Sin- aitic Peninsula and Arabia Petrase with Dr. John C. Phillips, my attention was frequently attracted by the actions of a large, long-legged tick, which was one of the commonest Arthropods in this region. The vegetation here is very sparse, and mostly in the form of scrubby bushes, a couple of feet high which grow singly or in small clumps, at the bases of which sand collects, forming little hummocks. Most of the insects which we saw were among these bushes or in holes in the sand during the heat of the day. While walking about searching for specimens, I often noticed that ticks came out from these hummocks and followed me. It was possible to attract them out by stamping on the ground in the vicinity. If I changed my direction they would do likewise, al- ways at a frantically rapid puce, about equal to the slow walk of a man. It seemed ridiculous to be pursued in this manner by ticks, and I often walked slowly about, watching them follow. As long as I remained within a distance of ten or twelve feet they would continue the pursuit. Those which I permitted to reach me crawled about fora little while and then dropped off without biting. This habit of running after its host is so different from the watch- ful-waiting policy of most of our ticks that it seems worthy of record. It is a habit that adapts this species to desert life, with its absence of trees and grass on which it can wait until the host passes by, so that it can drop off and fasten itself. Mr. Banks has determined the species as Hyalomma cegyptium Linn. One of its hosts is the camel.
TWO MEXICAN MYRMECOPHILOUS MITES.
BY NATHAN BANKS,
East Falls Church, Virginia.
Mr. W. M. Mann recently submitted to me some mites collected by him in Mexico from ants' nests. Two species are represented, both being new, their descriptions follow: Pu&e 22:60.61 (1915). hup Ytpsychu einclub orgt22/22-060 html



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Banks-Two Mexican Mgrmecophilovs Mites
Galumna acutifrons sp. nov.
Dark brown.
Body large, globose, cephalothorax small, in front ending in an acute point, and a minute point each side of it; no lamellae, no superior bristles, inferior bristles curved toward each other, pseudostigmatic organ rather thick, short, semiclavate, tapering at tip. Abdomen with- out hairs, on base is an oblique dark spot each side; wings large, long, and deep, almost pointed in front, lower anterior edge scarcely emarginate, some radiating lines from base. Legs with only simple hairs, about as in G. Fig. 1. Galumna acutifrons emargkata. Sternal plate with two lines on sp. nov. Cephalothorax above.
each side; genital aperture slightly narrower behind than in front, about twice its length in front of the larger anal aperture, the latter much broader behind than in front. Length .75 mm.
From San Miguel, Hidalgo, Mexico, with Pheidole vasliti acolhua, Mann coll.
Neoberlesia mexicana sp. nov.
Yellowish.
Body rather slender, in male more than twice as long as broad, in female almost twice as long as broad, tapering each way. Dorsal shield entire, with few scattered
bristles, mostly behind. Legs
slender, second pair heavier,
especially in the male, the fourth
pair much the longest, in male
IV
the femur IV has two long spines
behind and a minute tooth nearer
base, femur I11 with two stout
bristles behind, otherwise legs
have few, short, fine hairs, tarsi
I and I1 with some short stout
spines at tip. In male the ven-
d tral shields all united, but suture
distinct between anal and ventral,
-"
anus nearer to tip than to base of
shield; in female anal united to
the ventral, vulva between coxse
Kg. 2. Neoberletia mericana sp. nov. Venter 'I1; fine On of female, leg 11, and femur IV of male. peritreme long and
curved. Length 1.1 mm.
From San Miguel, Hidalgo, Mexico, with Pheidole vasliti acolhua, Mann coll.




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