Il8 GENERATION OF INSECTS 



shape; those that infest the deer are formed like a half 

 cylinder, are flat underneath and rounded above, of white 

 color, but marked with many hairy semicircular rings, in 

 which the hairs are rust colored. They have two very 

 small white horns on the head, which they extend and 

 draw in at will as snails do. Under these horns are 

 two claws or hooks, black, hard and very sharp; it would 

 appear that they use these hooks to crawl along, hold- 

 ing on by them, and dragging the body after. The end 

 of the body, whence the excrements are discharged, is 

 crossed by a duct, which is indicated by two black, semi- 

 circular spots. The number of these worms is not in- 

 variable, though Aristotle has limited it to twenty; 

 nevertheless I have counted as many as thirty-nine in a 

 single head, but never less than twenty. 



Very similar in shape to these worms are those found 

 in the heads of sheep; but they are smaller, less bold, 

 and less hardy, and are only marked with transverse 

 stripes, which are very black and stand out vividly from 

 the white body. Only the large adult worms are thus 

 striped ; the small or young ones are all white. The two 

 black spots like half moons, seen near the excreting duct 

 of the worms of the deer's head, are perfect circles in 

 those of the sheep. These worms inhabit certain cavities 

 in the frontal bones, where the horns are set in. I have 

 found them in the nasal passages and in the cavity at 

 the base of the horns. Hence Caporali's agreeable 

 verses, in the life of Maecenas, wherein he alludes to the 

 nature of love, are correctly stated: 



Some say that Cupid, God of all the Loves, 

 Is part a child in form and part a bird. 

 And like a falcon fierce feeds on the heart. 

 Still others say, as I have often heard, 



