232 Agricultural Gazette of JV.S. IF. [JIar. 2, 1908. 



When Hyiii.i^ nUoiit it makes a luiiil liiiiiiiiiinL;' noise — a sound wliieh the 

 horses seem to i-crnirr.ise instinctively, for as soon as they hear it they gallop 

 about and show decided sii^iis of t'eai' : yet, as the fly has no mouth, it cannot 

 be caused by tln^ (h"ead of its liite. 



Remedies. — There are numbers f'f different di'enches that have been 

 suggested and recommended by stock ownei's to destroy or purge out the 

 infesting bots ; l)ut wlien once the iiorse is infested internally, it is more a 

 matter for the chemist and the veterinary sui-gc(m to deal with than the 

 entomologist; but again, (juoting fi-om i\irk's jiaper, lie gives Mr. 11. 

 Thompson's, M.R.C.V.S., remai-ks as follows: — " I know of no niMlicine that 

 will destroy them or make them leave their winter quarters until fully 

 developed. As a merlieine, 2 oz. of turpentine and 20 oz. of raw linseed-oil, 

 mixed and given as a draught once a fortnight, is the best remedy, i.e., if it 

 is thought the loss of Mesh of the horse is due to bots." 



Prevention is better than cure, and in any disti'ict where the presence of 

 bot-flies is suspected, a watch should be kej>t during the early summer, and 

 the horses regularly examined to see if they are egg-infested. The eggs can 

 be easily noticed on the hairs (jf the jaws, legs, and shoulders. Thev can be 

 removed by gi'ooming, and the horse I'ubbed witli carbolised oil, or washed 

 with carbolic soap, or other oily substances that will not hurt the skin, but 

 are distasteful to the tiies, and will deter them fiom depositing their eggs 

 upon such evil-smelling coats. These flies are said to dislike dark places, 

 and will not enter stables or sheds ; so that where only one or two horses are 

 kept, if remaining under cover during the time when the flies are about, th(>y 

 would be safe from their attacks. 



Bots in Mules. 



Mr. Thomas fSteel, F.C.S., F.L.8., of the Colonial Sugar Refining 

 Company's Nausori Mill, Rewa River, Fiji, has kindly furnished me with 

 the following report of investigaiions he has t-arri(Ml out, with the view of 

 determining the best means of treating mule.? infested by bots : — 



"One mule was selected and isolated for experiment. On evening of 2nd 

 September a bran mash was given. Next morning, at 7 a.m., \l drachm of 

 carbon bisulphide was given in a pint of watei;, and the dose repeated three 

 hours later ; then at <! p.m. 1 }, pint of linseed oil. The excreta was examined 

 for a period of forty-eight hours. That for the lirst twenty-four hours, l)eing 

 dry and formed, was spread, in small (Quantities at a time, on a sheet of tin, 

 and thoroughly and carefully searched ; wdiile that for the latter twenty-four 

 hours, being soft and semi-licpiid, was mashed in a doul)le-bottomed sieve 

 and treated as before. 



"The results were, for th(> first period, two thread-worms; and for the 

 second, hundreds of the same parasite, a few hair-wdi-ms. and two ]Mn-worms. 

 but not the slightest trace of bots. 



"The physiological action of the drug on the animal was not maiked ; the 

 lOxdy point noticed was a slight acceleration of ]iulse. The animal is now at 

 grass, seemingly well." 



