217 



periodicals, and is therefore ditficult of access to many American 

 workers, may explain this defect. So many works on this subject 

 have been published recently that it is almost impossible to handle 

 it from a new standpoint, this book will take its place with others 

 as a possible source of information which they do not contain and 

 will therefore be useful to many readers. 



PoRTrniNSKY (1). PyccKiM 0B0fl"b, napasMTTj nomaflM, BbinpbicKW' 



BaiomiM JlM4MH0K"b B"b FJiasa JllOAeM. [Rhinoeslrus purpxrcHS, Br., 

 a parasite of the horse, injecting its larvae into the eyes of men.]! 

 «TpyAbi Biopo no SHTowionorin YMeH. Kommt. TnaB. YnpaB. 



3. M 3.» [Memoirs of the Bureau of Enlomologrj of the Scien'ific 

 CommiUre of (he Cevtral Board of Land Administration & Agricul- 

 ture], Petrograd, 1915, vi, no. 6. Third, enlarged edition, 42 pp., 

 9 figs., 1 colrd. plate. 



Rhinoestriis purpureus, Br., was first discovered to be a parasite of 

 the horse in 1886. In western Europe it is common only in Hungary 

 and Italy, although also found in Austria and Spain ; in Russia it is 

 found everywhere, except in some of the northern governments. 

 Previous to its discovery and description by Brauer, it was undoubtedly 

 mistaken for other species such as Gastrophilus haemorrhoidalis and 

 G. nasalis. It seems clear that, when describing G. nasalis, Linnaeus 

 confused three distinct species, viz., Cephenomyia trompe, G. nasalis 

 (veterinus) and R. purpureus. Within a year of its discovery, the author 

 received a specimen of R. purpureus from Semipalatinsk and it was 

 stated by the sender that this insect injects its larvae into the eyes of 

 man. It is chiefly found in low-lying steppe districts, avoiding 

 mountainous ones and is said to be much feared by the native Kirghis. 

 An attack on the eyes is followed by great pain and may prove fatal, 

 if remedies are not quickly applied. In 1895 the author received 

 similar reports from Dr. L. A. Knsnetzov at Atbassar, in the province 

 of Akmolinsk, which have satisfied him that such attacks on man are 

 quite a normal occurrence in places where these flies occur in large 

 numbers ; similar cases were also reported by Elia Baquis from Italy. 

 R. purpureus is also found in Asia Minor and in Africa, where it breeds 

 in the nasal cavities of the horse and zebra ; a related species, 

 R. hippopotami, Griinberg, is found in Africa, in the skull of the 

 hippopotamus. 



When attacking its normal host, the horse, R. purpureus injects its 

 larvae mostly into the nostrils, but frequently also into the eyes of the 

 animal, whence the larvae find their way into the nasal cavities and 

 mouth ; larvae were found by V. Sokolov in the eyes of horses in the 

 province of Akmolinsk in 1900. Horses which are generally indifferent 

 to Gastrophilus equi {intestinaHs), become restless in the presence of 

 this fly, shaking their heads and snorting, apparently to prevent the 

 larvae from getting into their nostrils. Horses usually become 

 infected late in summer. The further development of the larvae 

 during the autumn and winter has not yet been fully studied, 

 but their presence becomes e^'ident again in the spring, or 

 beginning of summer, when they are mature. Before dropping from 

 the nostrils, they may give rise to fits and other symptoms, often 

 mistaken for strangles, and sometimes lead to the death of the animals. 



(C223) B 



