SITES 



410 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Ground-squirrels. The reason apparently is that the Squirrel 

 is infested by abdominal and intestinal worms, which are taken 

 by way of the Cat's stomach into its system, and there work 

 their havoc. 



PARA- These worms I have found in most Ground-squirrels, 



both Yellow and Striped, in the spring and early summer. 

 The Ixodes, or tick, that infests Rabbits, I have not yet found 

 on these species, but confidently look for it. Another remark- 

 able insect parasite is the Cuterebra, commonly 

 called a *' hot or a warble." My attention was 

 first directed to this in the August of 1882. 

 On the 5th of that month I wrote as follows: 



Fig. 124 — The larva of,,yr-, i n ' ^ i i* i 



Cuterebra. secured " Got 3. male bttiped-gopher, apparently m good 

 berry, i\ian. ' hcalth, but the scrotum was entirely occupied 



(Natural size.) -^ •' '■ 



by a large grub about one inch long and half 

 an inch wide. It resembled a butterfly cocoon. The head pro- 

 jected outward toward the animal's rear. The testicles were 

 either undeveloped or consumed, as there was no sign of them. 

 The grub, when cut out, progressed over a board about as fast 

 as an earthworm would, point first, /. e., the end that was in- 

 wards. It was of a light olive, thickly sprinkled with fine 

 black spots. I am told that the Ground-squirrels have been 

 found with their hindquarters paralyzed by one of these 

 grubs." Dr. A. S. Packard says'^ of this: 



**The larvae (of Cuterebra) live in subcutaneous bots 

 beneath the skin of various animals. One species (the C, 

 emasculator of Fitch) lives in the scrotum of the Squirrel, which 

 it is known to emasculate. Mr. S. S. Rathvon has reared 

 C. huccata Fabr. from the body of a Striped Squirrel, the 

 larvae having emerged from the region of the kidneys. Other 

 species live in the Opossum and diff^erent species of Field- 

 mice." 



A Honduras species that attacks man is thus described by 

 Dr. T. L. Leconte. They are "usually found beneath the skin 

 of the shoulders, breasts, arms, buttocks, and thighs, and were 



'* Guide, Study of Insects, p. 405. 



