76 FLIES. 



the death of the animal. When full grown the mag- 

 gots are about an inch in length, and in the common 

 course of things they remain in the head of the sheep 

 for ten months to a year before they are mature. 

 They then leave the animal, by going down the 

 nostrils, and fall to the ground, where they turn — 

 either amongst roots of grass, or in any convenient 

 place above or below the surface— to a black or brown 

 pupa, from which the Fly comes out in about six or 

 eight weeks, or after a variable number of days, 

 according to the climate. 



The preventive in this case is to keep the Fly from 

 getting access to the nose of the sheep. The sheep 

 protect themselves to the best of their power by hold- 

 ing their nostrils down to the ground, or in any other 

 position which will keep off the Fly, when they are 

 aware of attack ; and this principle is worked on, in 

 the application of tar or other remedies to keep the 

 Fly from settling. 



In American practice it is said " a practical means 

 of prevention consists in smearing the noses with a 

 mixture of equal parts of tar and grease, or of tar and 

 fish oil, or of tar and whale-oil." . . . . " Fish or 

 whale-oil alone is also recommended." The following 

 ointment is also mentioned : — " Bees- wax, one pound; 

 linseed oil, one pint ; carbolic acid, four ounces. Melt 

 the wax and oil together, adding two ounces of common 

 rosin to give body, then as it is cooling stir in the 

 carbolic acid. This should be rubbed over the face 

 and nose once in two or three days during July and 

 August."* 



The attack of Sheep Nostril Maggot is of quite a 

 different nature from that of the Cosnurus cerebi-alis, 

 or H3'datid, which in its young state causes the dis- 

 ease known as staggers or " gid " in sheep; but the 



* Tlie above practical recipes are taken from ' Animal Parasites of 

 Sheep ' (by Dr. Coo))cr Curtice), U. S. Dept. of Asriculture, Bureau of 

 Animal Industry. For description of metlioii of attack, partly from my 

 own observations, see my 'Eleventh lieport on Injurious Insects.' 



