CO885-(20-21) — Page 128

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• 885

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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time to time, and mature fleas will frequently keep on emerging for six or eight weeks after the nest has been taken. The live fleas can be taken off the sides and top of the box with a camel's hair brush dipped in chloroform or benzine.

If it is impracticable to breed the fleas in this manner, the nest may be shaken up in a linen or paper bag containing several drops of chloroform or ammonia. After a few minutes the contents should be spread out on a white c'oth or paper, and the dead insects can be picked up with a moist brush. Nests of moles, r dents, &c., cau be treated in the same way.

It is important that the name of the host should be accurately determined, and therefore, wherever possible, skins of the smaller animals should be sent home for identification. Such skins would be returned, if desired. In the case of small mammals, the skulls should always be sent with the skins.

*Jiggers” or “chigoes

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of which burrow beneath the skin of their hosts, on the more naked are highly specialised fleas, the females portions. They are to be found on many kinds of mammals and birds; and sometimes they present the appearance of small warts on the skin. For collecting purposes, they should not be pulled out, but, wherever practicable, the infectel portion of the skin should be cut out and preserved in spirit; or the insects may be killed in situ with chloroform and then removed very gently.

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PRESERVING.-Fleas should always be preserved in achohol 50 per cent. rectified spirit is found to be the most satisfactory strength. Each tube should contain the fleas from one host only, and many specimens should be sent, as frequently there are several species of flea on one animal.

LABELLING.—In every tube a label should be inserted giving the locality, altitude, date, collecter's name and name of the host; where the name of the host is unknown, a number should be given corresponding with one attached to the skin. Labels should be written very clearly in soft pencil.

PACKING When packing tubes for transmission to England, a piere of crumpled paper should be inserted in each, in order to prevent the contents shaking about in transit. Care should also be taken to fill all tubes with alcohol before they are despatched, so as to leave as small an air bubble as possible. Reject all corks that appear defective and see that each cork is well rammed home and sealed with wax from a stearine candle. Then place the tubes in the receptacles provided for them, and carefully pack these in a covering box or tin.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING TICKS (IXODOIDEA).

HABITATS.—All the domesticated and a large number of wild mammals are subject to the attack of these pests. Some species also are to be found on birds (the head being the favourite point of attack), while others are peculiar to reptiles and batrachians, Several kinds attack man, especially in the larval stages; but the most important human ticks belong to the germs Ornithodoros (family Argasidae). These are not permanent parasites, and must be looked for in native huts, rest-places, &c.; they bite only at

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night, and during the day hide themselves in the dust on the ground, in the mud-cracks on the floor and walls, and also in the thatch. Fowls are subject to the attacks of a similar tick (Argas persicus), which may be found under similar conditions in fowl-houses.

COLLECTING.-Ticks different species, but also in the various stages of development. vary greatly in size, not only in the Examples of all sizes found on a host should therefore be collected and a liberal supply of each should be sent. The males of many species are relatively very small compared with the females, and require to be carefully searched for; they may often be found beneath the gorged females. Males of Irodidue may be recognised by having the whole back covered with a hard shield.

If ticks are roughly removed, an important part-the "false "head"-will be left behind, embedded in the host's skin, and the specimen spoiled. They may best be removed with a flat-nosed forceps, care being taken to grip the "false head" as close to the skin of the host as possible. If the creatures will not come away without breaking, they may be induced to let go by touching them with a brush or finger dipped in any oil. Headless examples are useless for study. The minute larvae ("seed ticks") may be removed with the blade of a knife and are best scraped direct into the tube.

All parasites from one species of animal from one locality and taken on the same day may be placed together in the same tube, but care must be taken not to mix the parasites of different animals (eg., sheep and cattle) though from the same place. it important to keep parasites from different localities separate.

Especially is KILLING. To kill ticks it is necessary only to drop them direct into the preservative. If the speries are very active, they may be touched with a camel's hair brush moistened with chloroform or ammonia. When conditions are favourable, a good way to kill ticks is to drop them into 25 per cent, alcohol, to which 2 or 3 drops of ether have been added. The ticks then die with their limbs extended, and can afterwards be transferred to the proper preservative, PRESERVATIVES.-It is preferable that ticks should always be preserved in liquids. Either of the following may be used:

(4) 65 per cent. rectified spirit; if this is not procurable, undiluted whisky or gin may be substituted, though much less satisfactory ; (b) 3 per cent. solution of formalin; care must be taken that the solution is not made stronger, as it would then render the specimens too hard and brittle. When plenty of material is available, both methods of preservation should be used,

LABELLING.-Write legibly on a slip of good white paper: (1) name of host, or a number corresponding with one on the skin of host, if the latter is sent home for determination; (2) locality in full, not omitting the Colony or Protectorate, and in the case of farms or native villages, giving the approximate distance from the nearest well-known township, mountain, river, &c.; (3) altitude; (4) full date; (5) name of collector. Writing is best done with a fairly soft black graphite pencil. The label thus prepared should be placed inside the tube with the specimens. If ordinary writing ink is used the label must be attached to. the outside of the tube. When it is desired to send fuller notes concerning certain species,

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