on the CEstri and Cuterebroe of various Animals. 69 



in a way that seems to require some remark, in the 2nd edition of the 'Rcgne 

 Animal,' the joint production of himself and Cuvier, tome v. p. 499, where he 

 gives a tolerable view of this family, derived chiefly from my labours, and 

 afterwards, at page 503, enters on an enumeration of the species. On the sub- 

 ject of the CE.Equi, although quoting my work, he omits altogether my account 

 of the manner of their depositing their eggs on the knees of the horse, although 

 a most singular and interesting fact. Proceeding to the (K. hatmorrhoidalis, 

 he omits the circumstance of their eggs being deposited on the chin and beard 

 of the horse, and next passing to the (E, veterinus. he renews the old and erro- 

 neous tale which was formerly attached to the OJ. hcemorrhoidalis, of its de- 

 positing its eggs on the margin or verge of the anus. 



We may perhaps, at this point of our review, consider a little the strange 

 proposition first started by Pallas, of there being in nature such a thing as a 

 proper human CEstrus, which has since been maintained by others. For the 

 honour of human nature I utterly discredit any such thing, as that the lord of 

 the creation, walking erect and clothed from head to foot, and carrying if he 

 pleases all sorts of offensive or defensive weapons, should be the natural ob- 

 ject of attack of a large winged insect, pursuing and dodging him, for the 

 purpose too of making him the subject of maintenance of its future offspring. 

 The facts which appeared to favour such a doctrine are easily explained, I 

 apprehend, by the eagerness and solicitude of the parent fly to find a suitable 

 opportunity of depositing its eggs, which induces it to resort, in the absence 

 of the proper nidus, to the next best object that presents itself, and if it finds 

 a man fast asleep and with any part of his body exposed, he will certainly 

 become the object of its infliction, nor is this to be much wondered at. 

 But would it not be quite absurd, from such an error loci, to argue that this 

 was the legitimate office and operation primarily intended by the Creator ? 

 Almost as well might we imagine the sea to be the proper habitat of the 

 dragon-fly, because Berkenhout says he took one on that element three or 

 four leagues from land ; or, on finding a Cimex rufipes on a gentleman's bag- 

 wig in Fleet Street, as he says he did, to give this as the natural habitat of 



that species- 

 Most certain, however, it is, that the CEstri and Cuterebrw, if disappointed 

 of their natural nidus for deposit, and impelled by hard necessity, will find out 



N 



VOL. XIX. 



