Ticks

Abstract

IF W. E. L. will acquaint himself with the somewhat scattered literature of this subject he will be find that much useful informatian has already has been placed on record by entomologists and others. The Farm Journal for July 10, 1880, contains a sensible and convincing article by Mr. James Elliot, showing the connection between ticks and louping-ill. A good article on the sheep-tick (falsely so called, since it is an insect and not one of the Ixodidæ) occurs in The Field for April 26, 1873. The scientific aspects of the subject are well treated of by Mégnin, especially in relation to classification in his “Monographie de la Tribo des Sarcoptides Psoriquee,” 1877. Mr. Hulme'e edition of Moquin-Tandon's “Elements of Medical Zoology” has a useful chapter on ticks (p. 302). Some valuable hints are given in Prof. Verrill's Report on parasites to the Connecticut Board of Agriculture, 1870. An excellent article with good figures on Melophagus ovinus appeared in one of the volumes of the Intellectuel Ob-server. The ticks of the sheep and stag are both figured in Van Beneden's “Animal Parasites” (English edition of International Series, p. 177). The sheep-tick is likewise figured and described in the “Mierographic Dictionary.” References and figures are also given in the standard works of Westwood and Packard on insects. As W. E. L. is probably a practical man, he will do well to consider the proofs afforded by Mr. Elliot that the “ked,” as they call it in Scotland, is anything but the harmless insect which some people imagine it to be.