Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 April 2009
The aim of the present contribution has been to draw attention to the technique of covariance analysis in the study of factors influencing the oviposition of ixodid ticks.
The example given as an illustration shows the high degree of sensitivity of the technique and its effectiveness in removing the bias due to the sample differences in the mean female weights of different treatment groups. This bias has not been removed in any published work on egg-production studies of ticks, so preventing precise comparisons of different conditions to be made.
My thanks are due to Dr D. E. Moorhouse for helpful advice and to the Australian Meat Research Committee for generous financial support. The cooperation and assistance of Mr W. J. Roulston and his staff of the Division of Entomology, C.S.I.R.O. is gratefully acknowledged.