Striped Ground-squirrel 411 



suspected to have been introduced when the persons were 

 bathing." Apparently these parasites caused no pain either 

 at the time of laying or during development. 



Say records'" a case wherein the original sting of the egg- 

 laying was irritating and the larva caused a painful tumor as 

 it developed under the man's skin. Apparently it was five or 

 six weeks in growing, and caused acute pain when it moved, 

 probably because it was touching a nerve. The victim killed 

 the parasite with a poultice of rum and tobacco ashes — two 

 poisons of recognized and frightful virulence — then removed 

 it with the forceps. After this he quickly recovered. 



This fly is very active in its attacks on the Ground-squirrel 

 during late summer. In 1884 I made a careful investigation 

 of its ravages. The following are the items from my Journal 

 at Carberry: 



July 26, 1884. Found a young Squirrel of the year with 

 the larva of a cuterebra in the skin of its cheek; it had ex- 

 panded so as to fill the cheek pouch. This was the earliest 

 observed. 



August 3. Caught 5 Striped-gophers to-day, of these 2 

 had had the "warbles," but they were gone, and the places 

 nearly healed; i, a female, was carrying a larva under the 

 skin, between her hind le^s, of all uncomfortable places. 



August 5. Collected i male; it had i larva. 



August 6. Collected 3 Striped-gophers, all had a larva, 

 although 2 were females. 



August 8. Out of the 5 Striped-gophers taken to-day, 4 

 had the parasites, and 2 of these were females. 



August 12. Of 2 specimens, i only had larva, and it had 

 2, I in each hind-leg. 



August 14. Of 3 specimens taken, 2 had larvae, i of 

 these was a female. 



August 18. Captured a large male Striped-gopher; it 

 had I larva, this in its scrotum. It was fully developed and 

 soon it crawled out of its cradle to be promptly devoured by 

 its recent host, amid the applause of the spectators. 



"Zoc. cit. 



