96 HORSE AND CATTLE FLIES. 
has been given to it in this country beyond the area of the district in 
which it is mainly to be found; and last year’s observations have 
added something, both to our knowledge of its structure and habits, 
also of its distribution in this country, as well as regarding preventive 
measures. 
For those unacquainted with the Hippobosca equina, our Forest 
Fly, it may be convenient just to mention, as a kind of general 
description to begin with, that the fly is about a quarter of an inch 
long, flat and broad-made, and when in flight appears of a bright 
shining black. It is a blood-sucker; but the chief annoyance which 
it causes is by its power of running with great activity backwards, for- 
wards, or side-long, and so irritating the skin, or dragging the hair on 
the tender parts of the horses, which it especially infests, as to cause 
such discomfort and terror to animals unused to it, as often leads to 
ereat inconvenience, sometimes to serious accidents. Also it has the 
great peculiarity of only existing actively in fly state. It is produced 
not as an egg or ordinary maggot, but in a condition answering 
externally to the pupal stage, whence the division to which this fly 
belongs takes the name of Pupipara. 
Locauities.—In this country the Forest Fly is most especially to 
be found in the New Forest, in Hampshire, or in the vicinity, where 
it may have been conveyed on infested animals. In the first notice 
with which I am acquainted of observation of the H. equina as a horse 
and cattle pest in this country, which was given by Jean Barbut in 
1781, in his work on English examples of the Linnean genera,” he 
mentions, p. 819, that he has received these insects from the New 
Forest, where they are to be found in great numbers. 
More recently various localities have been named, mainly in the 
south of England, where the Forest Fly has been considered to have 
been observed ; but the only other place where I have certain personal 
knowledge of it being found in this country was during the past 
summer on coach-horses at Beddgelert, in North Wales. 
In consequence of some correspondence then taking place as to 
localities in which Forest Fly was to be found, inquiries were sent by 
the editor of the ‘ Veterinary Record’ to all the members of the Royal 
College of Veterinary Surgeons in Carnarvonshire, and on June 26th 
three specimens were sent by Mr. Morris Williams, of Pwllheli, which 
I found to be quite certainly of the H. equina, Linn., commonly known 
as the Forest Fly. Of these Mr. Morris Williams wrote as follows + :-— 
* ‘Genres des Insectes de Linné, constatés par divers échantillons d’insectes 
d’Angleterre.’ A Londres, mpccLxxxt. 
+ See number of ‘ Veterinary Record’ for July 6th, 1895, to the editor of which 
I offer my best thanks, both for use of the information, and for a sight of the speci- 
mens.—kH. A. O, 
