160 THE STABLE-FLY. 



The best way to prevent losses among our domesticated 

 animals is to give them the proper care they deserve, and to 

 pay prompt attention to their health. All sores should be 

 attended to as soon as discovered, and should be carefully 

 cleaned. By permitting no filth, no matter of what char- 

 acter, to accumulate, we prevent the increase of such suspi- 

 cious and dangerous insects. Carcasses of all kinds should 

 not be simply dragged into the w^oods, or some distance 

 away from houses, to deca}' there, but should be promply 

 buried, and deep enough that no maggot or the resulting 

 flies bred in them can ever reach the light of day. Maggots 

 of all flesh-flies are very tenacious of life, and even an immer- 

 sion of several minutes in pure carbolic acid and strong tur- 

 pentine does not kill them; even chloroform and ether do not 

 kill them at once. Whenever persons or animals become in- 

 fested with such dangerous maggots a physician should be 

 consulted without delay. 



The use of fresh pyrethrum (insect-powder) is claimed to 

 be a very good remedy. Of course all maggots that can be 

 reached with an instrument should be removed by mechani- 

 cal means. 



THE STABLE-FLY. 



( Stoinoxys calcitrant Linn. ) , 



This fly, so frequently mistaken for the troublesome, rest- 

 less, but otherwise innocent house-fly, is no stranger to our 

 habitations; in fact it takes possession of our rooms with- 

 out having been invited. If it behaved as a visitor is ex- 

 pected to do matters would be all right, but this impudent 

 fly is not satisfied, like the house-fly, with anything we may 

 have upon our bill of fare, but it requires more precious food, 

 human blood, and is not slow^ to take it whenever it pleases. 

 We often hear the complaint made that house-flies would 

 bite most viciously whenever rain was approaching, and 

 during and after a shower. There is no doubt about such 

 bites, but they were not inflicted by our domestic friend, the 

 house fly, but by the above intruder, the stable-flv. As the 

 name tells it is an insect most commonl3^ found in and near 

 stables; here, when at all numerous, they cause considerable 



