104 THE EEPOET OF THE Xo. 36 



the hairs of the front legs. They resemble a bee or a wasp to a considerable extent, 

 even to the humming noise, and their sudden darts coming continuously and persist- 

 ently get on the horses' nerves and set up a panicky state of mind. The cattle or 

 warble or hot fly is another instance where a fly that cannot sting causes cattle to go 

 careering through the fields in a panicky condition. The real biting flies like the horse 

 fly do not seem to produce the same effect, for the reason we suppose that once the 

 horses get rid of it they have rest for a while. There is no doubt as to the name of 

 the flies sent, and it is also certain that they do not sting. Three of the specimens 

 submitted were males, hence would not have eggs. 



Later still, a third correspondent from Saskatchewan writes me regarding 

 Nose flies and gives further particulars as to the differences between the Xose 

 fly and the Bot fly. He says : — 



I have ibeen reading in the issue of July 28 an article on nose flies. As the nose 

 flies are a very troublesome pest among horses, I would like to add my mite of know- 

 ledge concerning' them. Now they cannot be the same flies that deposit their eggs on 

 the legs because they are much smaller and darker in color, and the mode of laying the 

 egg is different; the ordinary bot-fly keeps buzzing and depositing her eggs (which 

 are yellow) continuously; whereas in the nose fly it strikes upward swift and wickedly 

 and then disappears, to return again possibly in half a minute; the egg is black. One 

 fellow struck me on the back of the hand last summer and left an egg which attached 

 to a hair; there was no pain, though the wicked way it does the trick is quite enough 

 to scare a person or a horse either. When there is protection on the nose of the horses 

 (rags are commonly used and wire screens are sold to cover the nose), they will strike 

 at the person; often I have had them hit the underside of the brim of the hat. 



My reply was as follows : — 



The correspondence regarding nose flies has brought out much important informa- 

 tion regarding these pests. Our friend (W. B.) tells us something really important 

 in the way of distinguishing two kinds of bot flies of horses. It is likely, however, 

 that there are at least three kinds of bot flies in the West, and this fact will account 

 for the difference noted by the variovis observers. There is first of all the " common 

 bot fly," which deposits its yellowish eggs on the legs and is of a general reddish 

 brown color. The eggs may be deposited on the fore legs, knees and shanks. A second 

 form is what is known as the " nasal fly," specimens of which we identified in our last 

 note on nose flies in these columns. We beg to note a clerical mistake which we made 

 in stating that they deposit their eggs on the hairs of the front legs; this should have 

 been " on the hairs of the lips and the margins of the nostrils." This insect is smaller 

 than the first, has white eggs and is of a darker color, but still with a considerable 

 number of brownish hairs. The third form of bot fly is the " red-tailed bot fly." This 

 has about the same general color as the nasal fly, but is not so large and deposits its 

 eggs on the lips of the horses. The eggs are darker than those of the flrst or second. 

 It must not be supposed, however, that the " red-tailed bot fly " is the only red-tailed 

 bot fly. A confusion may arise here; there are different bands of color on the abdomen 

 of both the nasal and the red-tailed bot fly, the bands being very much alike in both — 

 a yellow band in front, black in the middle and orange on the last. The term " red- 

 tailed bot fly " is, therefore, not a good one to use, because the nasal bot fly is also 

 red-tailed. These facts regarding the three forms of bot flies may account for the differ- 

 ences observed by our correspondent, as we have already stated. There are other 

 differences, of course, which are revealed on close examination under a magnifying 

 glass or a microscope, but the foregoing are sufficient to identify them. We should 

 be very much indebted to our readers in the West if they could send specimens of bot 

 flies to us so that we may be able to give further information when questions are 

 answered. 



A fourth correspondent at this time contributes his mite as to the best treat- 

 ment against nose flies: — 



There is an objection to the use of rags tied over the horse's nose on account of 

 difficulty in breathing. I have tried the following remedy with much success: Mix 

 about 10 cents worth of oil of tar in machine oil (but other oils would be better), and 

 wipe lightly around the muzzle of the horse — but use it very sparingly — whenever flies 

 make an attack. I keep a bottle among the implements and flies never come near the 

 horses. Mosquitoes dislike this substance also. 



