138 OX WARBLE FLY. 
Cheshire (where the greater part of the pupils are the sons of farmers), 
showing the boys samples of the warble maggots, telling them the 
history of the infestation, and begging them to bring what they could 
find. At that time the warbles were enormously prevalent in the dis- 
trict, and the result was that one pupil alone brought in 250 maggots. 
The next year’s work showed a reduction in the numbers to be found, 
and the next four years the returns stood as follows :— 
1887. March 28th.—Number of stock examined 293; warbles found 109. 
1888. ,, 20th. i2 "7 515; J 341. 
1889. May 29th. i if 577; 7 1077. 
189057 5, Fisk: i + 675 ; if 827. 
In 1891 few warbles were found, the largest number brought in by 
any one boy being 23; and the continuance of the plan year by year 
reduced the number of the pests to what was practically of little im- 
portance, and the work is still continued and reported to me, with 
information accompanying why there should sometimes be a rise in 
the number of maggots collected, which was the case in the spring of 
1897, consequently on some of the boys being enabled to go beyond 
the district under previous care. 
This work was done with full approbation of the farmers, and was 
considered so satisfactory that an account of what was being carried 
on, written by Mr. Bailey to His Grace the Duke of Westminster as 
one of the great landowners of the district, was read by the Hon. 
Cecil Parker, in 1887, before one of the Committees of the Royal 
Agricultural Society, and was recommended for publication. 
The above notes show the great success of the continued attention to 
removal of the maggvts, but also that with every circumstance in favour of 
this success, still the pest was not stamped out. 
The work was done by the boys who were accustomed to be with 
cattle, and more or less well known personally to the herds amongst 
which they searched out the warbles, which is an important matter. 
Also there was a great incentive in a mark being given for each 
maggot, which counted for something towards a few prizes which 
were yearly given to the most successful collectors. 
But the specially important point which was met in this treatment 
was that the search went on constantly up to a certain date. The 
warble maggot matures very rapidly towards the completion of its 
growth, and whilst on the one hand (under the system of compulsory 
inspection) the presence of warbles may be made a cause of great 
annoyance to an owner whose beasts have been cleared only a few 
days before, on the other, an unskilled ‘‘ policeman’”’ will probably 
overlook many which would shortly be what is called “ripe.” 
The time requisite for inspection would be something enormous, 
