124 PROBABLY THE ZIMB. 



viciously threw his head between his forelegs, 

 and at the same time elevated his hind ones into 

 the air ; the whole being performed with such 

 sudden and savage violence that I was pitched 

 clean out of the saddle : boxes, bottles, bags, to- 



' O 7 



gether with all my insect treasures, lay scattered 

 over the prairie, and ere I could regain my feet I 

 had the satisfaction of seeing him put his legs 

 into the bridle-reins, drag it clean off his head, 

 and, with a snort that sounded mightily like a 

 derisive horse laugh, he galloped off, leaving me 

 to my own devices. I mention this little adven- 

 ture to show how terribly these pests can madden 

 an animal. 



From an intimacy by no means sought, or on 

 my part cultivated, with the Tdbanidce, or Breeze- 

 flies, I am disposed to think the fly called Zimb, 

 and described by Bruce, belonged to this family, 

 and was not an CEstrus, as many have supposed. 

 Speaking of the Zimb, in reference to the camel 

 and elephant : ' When the first of these animals 

 are attacked, its body, head, and legs break out 

 into large bosses, which swell, burst and putrefy, 

 to its certain destruction.' Just such effects have 

 I again and again seen amongst horses and mules. 

 One mule we had to abandon on the prairie (a 

 disabled foot preventing its travelling any farther) 



