A. variegatum were the only ticks on four pigs. At Torit, several adults of R. s. simus could be found on each pig whenever a search was made and 99 were collected along with single males of R. e. evertsi and R. s. sanguineus.

DOGS

S.

Dogs maintained by the few Europeans previously living in Equatoria Province were deticked every day or two and yielded the same species found on pie-dogs. Infestations of pie-dogs, often tremendous, were characterized by preponderence of R. sanguineus in practically every collection throughout the Prov ince, smaller numbers of R. s. simus almost everywhere, and a paucity of H. 1. leachii. The last named tick, which in Equa toria Province appears to be more common on dogs at high altitudes, is represented by about 45 specimens, but the subspecies H. 1. muhsami by only a single specimen. In Eastern and Torit Districts, A. lepidum and R. pravus parasitize dogs; near the Nile a few adults of R. simus senegalensis have been taken. A single female B. decoloratus was found at Gilo. The localization of A. variegatum infestations is of some interest. This ubiquitous tick was found on dogs only at Katire and Kajo Kaji. Both localities are at higher elevations than the plains and received less attention than Torit and the surrounding country.

CATTLE

Cattle are so frequently of considerable importance in sup porting and transporting large numbers of ticks of known or poten tial medical and veterinary importance that special consideration should be given to cattle history, breeds, numbers, husbandry, and movements wherever a tick survey is attempted.

Before the devastating slave raids of the nineteenth century cattle were more numerous in areas bordering the Nile than now. Since the low ebb of that period, herds of livestock have varied greatly due to epidemics, encroachment of tsetse flies, and intertribal relations. The largest cattle populations occur in Eastern District, eastern Torit District, and the Kajo Kaji area. Elsewhere small herds are maintained in isolated situations but west of Yei cattle are rare indeed.

The

Luxmoore (1950) lists three breeds of cattle in this Province. The huge, big humped, short legged, short horned Taposa breed of Eastern District is guessed to number from 60,000 to 70,000 head. It will be generations before a thorough study of cattle_tick relations can be undertaken in this fascinating, wild area. second, or Mongalla breed, is a dwarf East African zebu, less than four feet high, with thin skin, fine coat, nervous disposition, and considerable agility. This isolated mountain breed is much less common than the Taposa. The Didinga mountain cattle may represent a separate breed. Long-horned Nilotic type cattle, for which the Sudan is famed, are kept in small numbers near the Nile by the Mandari, Bari, and Nyangwara tribes. Nilotic cattle were frequently brought into various parts of the Province, mostly for slaughter, during the period of the present study. In Torit District small herds of mixed Mongalla Taposa breeds exist in tsetse free areas. Juba District, once an important cattle area, now possesses only small herds as does Yei District except for the Kajo Kaji area. A strong cattle tradition from the nineteenth century persists in this area. A hundred square miles of tsetse free area around Kajo Kaji support some 15,000 Kuku tribesmen and some 6000 head of Mongalla cattle. Westward, very few cattle are maintained except for a few government herds and isolated groups such as the Lanya herd that remains to this day after having been saved from Arab slave traders by being hidden in Lanya Hill caves.

A. variegatum is represented in practically every collection from cattle throughout the Province but the few collections from the west bank contain many more specimens than those from the east bank. B. decoloratus, also common from Torit westward, is rare or absent east of Torit except in the mountains. Varying numbers of R. e. evertsi frequently parasitize cattle in many parts of the Province. Several species are common only in certain Districts. A. lepidum and R. pravus, most numerous in Eastern District, are less common in Torit District and extremely rare or absent to the west. B. annulatus is scattered throughout the west bank but rare or absent on the east bank except possibly in the mountains. Other species entirely or largely restricted to east bank mountains are H. aciculifer, H. parmata, and R. kochi. Species that are almost entirely restricted to Yei District are R. appendiculatus, R. muhlensi, and A. pomposum; the latter two Small collections from scattered localities include

are rare.

H. rufipes, H. truncatum, R. s. sanguineus, and R. s. simus. An exceptionally large collection of the last named species from Juba is inexplicable.

SHEEP

Smaller numbers of sheep run with the goat herds of east bank tribes. Except for the Taposa fat-tailed breed of Eastern District and a few in mountainous areas, Equatoria sheep are "miserable little beasts that always look prepared to give up the unequal struggle with the least encouragement" (Luxmoore 1950).

Ticks are seldom if ever numerous on sheep in this Province. Small numbers of R. e. evertsi are found everywhere. In Eastern District, R. pravus Is common and A. lepidum occurs on some hosts. In Yei District, R. appendiculatus parasitizes sheep in some num bers. Small numbers of A. variegatum, B. decoloratus, H. truncatum, R. s. sanguineus, and R. s. simus also attack sheep in various localities.

GOATS

Goats are kept by all tribes from Yei District eastward and large numbers exist in Torit District where they largely substitute for cattle as food and dowry. Although far from impressive in appearance, goats thrive on the east bank and in parts of Yei Dis trict. Their importance as tick hosts is difficult to assess. Hundreds were found to be free of ticks but several collections suggest that goats must not be overlooked in epidemiological considerations.

Those goats that are tick infested harbor the same species as sheep. R. s. sanguineus, however, is somewhat more numerous and frequent on goats but R. s. simus is scarce. In Katire and Kajo Kaji collections, nymphal A. variegatum were present in good numbers. At Loronyo and Kajo Kaji large numbers of nymphal R. e. evertsi were also found.

MISCELLANEOUS SITUATIONS

ON GRASS

Small numbers of adults of R. kochi, R. s. sanguineus, R. S. simus, and R. simus senegalensis and A. variegatum were collected from grass at various localities. The only specimens of A. rhino_ cerotis, D. c. circumguttatus, and D. rhinocerinus known from the Sudan were taken on grass.

MAMMAL BURROWS AND DENS

Mammal burrows and dens should be carefully studied in Equa toria Province. A special trip planned to investigate this impor tant aspect of tick biology was cancelled due to unsettled condi tions in southern Sudan. See pages 792 and 793.

BAHR EL GHAZAL PROVINCE*

All statements below pertain to the Galual Nyang Forest un less other localities are specified. For a description of this forest, see Reid (1955). The Galual Nyang Forest, Yirol, and Wau areas have been moderately well explored for ticks, although much remains to be accomplished in this region. Scattered rec_ ords for other localities noted on Figure 3 have been obtained. The western half of the Province should yield many interesting new data.

*Data from this Province result chiefly from the energy and interest of Mr. E. T. M. Reid, veterinary entomologist, and to his associates on the Tsetse Survey and Reclamation Team, Messrs. N. A. Hancock, A. W. Wild, P. J. Henshaw, W. I. A. Dees, P. Blasdale, and H. C. Brayne, under the direction of Mr. T. W. Chorley. Our own visit to Wau and the Galual Nyang Forest, at the invitation of Mr. J. T. R. Evans, formerly Director, Sudan Veterinary Service, and as a guest of Mr. Chorley, produced many worthwhile specimens and observations due largely to the courtesy and assistance of the persons mentioned above. In this and the following Provinces, a small amount of host data omitted from the main body of this work are included.

The western half of Bahr El Ghazal is poor, hilly country with uneven rainfall, more or less dense forests with tsetse flies, and few permanent herds of cattle. The eastern half is character_ ized by rich dry season meadows, or toich, along the numerous rivers, several lakes, and the northern "Nile sponge" area that becomes a vast lake during the rains. Large numbers of livestock are main tained in eastern Bahr El Ghazal and restricted populations of the big game animals of Africa reach their northern limit here.

REPTILIA

No records for monitor lizards or tortoises are available from this Province. A number of specimens of A. latum have been taken from cobras and pythons in the eastern sector.

AVES

Infestations of Francolinus clappertoni by nymphs of A. variegatum in the Forest area are heavier and much more common than those observed in Equatoria. A female H. h. hoodi was found on a tchagra shrike. Near the Kordofan border and near Yirol several adults of R. s. sanguineus and a single male A. lepidum, respectively, were taken from two greater bustards.

MAMMALIA

Thirty HEDGEHOGS, Atelerix pruneri oweni, were examined; six were infested by two to four adult R. s. sanguineus and a total of five male H. leachii muhsami. A male and female of the latter tick were also collected from a hedgehog by Mr. Reid.

Although Mr. Reid examined some BATS, no ticks were obtained.

Among primates, some fifty GALAGOS, or bushbabies, examined by Dr. T. Work and the writer were uninfested. A number of BABOONS from several large families throughout the Forest were also free of ticks, but all old male hobos wandering alone were infested by several to two hundred adult R. s. simus. British Museum (Natural History) collections contain a few adult R. s. sanguineus from a baboon at Kenisa (on the Bahr El GhazalUpper Nile border).