360             Diseases Transmitted by the Indian Species of Ticks

has been recorded from the United States of America, Mexico, Cuba, France,
Southern India [ Cooley, 1929, 2], Indo-China, Portuguese East Africa and
South Africa. Africa has been considered the original home of this parasite.
According to Bequarter [ 1930 ] in France, it parasitises the nymphs of
I. ricinus and larvae and nymphs of the genera of Haemaphysails, Rhipice-
phalus and Dermacentor.

This parasite was introduced for the purposes of biological control of
ticks in 1926 [ Cooley, 1927, 1929, 1 ], in Naushan, a small island near Woods
Hole under the supervision of Dr. F. Larrousse from the laboratory of Prof.
E. Brumpt of Paris. The control of ticks by this parasite was seriously taken
up in 1927 by the Montana State Board of Entomology. In 1928 Cooley
[ 1934 ] undertook a tour in South Africa in search of parasites of ticks and he
found that this parasite attacks readily the nymphs of Hyalomma (Hyalomma)
aegyptium subsp. impressum in Transvaal and Haemaphysalis leachi. The
work of control through this parasite is still in progress with promising results
in Montana.

Hunter and Hooker [ 1907 ] have bred a species of Phoridae from the
eggs of B. annulatus in Texas. The present author has also reared a species
of Phoridae in 1925 from the parasitised ticks belonging to the species A.
persicus from Pusa. The specific identity of this could not be made.

                                CONCLUSION

It is a well-known fact that the work of extermination of ticks must
be preceded by and be based upon a knowledge of life-histories of ticks, their
habits and the manner in which they are affected by the climatic conditions
and destroyed by their natural enemies. Such work has been done extensively
in the United States of America and some other countries. According to
Nuttall [1913], wherever this type of work has been carried out intelligently,
highly beneficial results have been obtained and " large tracts of country
in the United States, Australia and. Africa have been rendered almost
tick-free by these measures ".

In the same way, it is possible to control ticks in India. A list of tick-
eating birds and other animals may be prepared and a correct estimate of their
efficiency in control of ticks may be made. The common crow and maina
Acridotheres tristis tristis (Linnaeus) have been observed by the author to
feed on ticks on cattle. The Indian Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis coromandus
(Boddart) also feeds on ticks. The natural enemies of ticks should be encour-
aged in every possible way and domestic fowls should be kept in cattle pens.

The possibility of tick control through the agency of parasitic enemies
has proved promising. An organised effort for the search of parasites of
ticks may be made. H. hookeri which as mentioned above is found
in India and it may be utilised for the control of ticks on proper lines.