Mr. Clark'j Obfcrvatlons on the Gaitis Ocjlrus. 297 



And the tanners alfo obfcrve, that their bed and ftrongeft hides 

 have the greateft number of bot-holes in them: for although the 

 flcin heals up on the exit of the larva, it is not with the fame 

 matter as the original Ikin; which has been remarked by late 

 phyfiologins, and which this curious fa£l fufficiently confirms. 

 In the leather, when dry, thofe holes which were made in the fkin 

 the year preceding the death of the beaft, cannot be diftinguiQied 

 from the otheis which were made at any former period, not being 

 in any perceptible degree lefs filled up. In the dried hide it does 

 not appear a round hole as in the living (kin, but as a crack only. 

 This arifes from the fpongy fubftance which had filled the aperture, 

 contracting in drying, and burfting, and alfo from the artificial mode 

 of hammering and preparing the hide. 



The female fly is very quick in performing the operation of de- 

 pofiting its egg : Ihe does not appear to remain on the back of the 

 animal more than a few feconds ; and I have not obferved that the 

 cow ever attempts to laQi this inle£t off with her tail, which flie 

 performs fo dexteroufly when attacked by other flies *. 



The whole of this genus of infc6ls appear to have a (trong dif- 

 like to moifture, fince the animals find a fecure refuge when they 

 get into a pond or brook, where the Tabani, Conopcs^ and other flies, 

 follow without hefitation, but the O^r/ rarely or never; and during 

 cold, rainy, or windy weather they are not to be feen. 



The larvee of this infeft are moftly known among the country 

 people by the name of wornuls, wormuls, or ivarbles, or more pro- 

 perly bois. 



• It has been doubted by Linnaeus, and fome other writers (I know not why), whe- 

 ther it fettles in depofiting its egg. The evident fuffcring of .the nnimal fufficlentlv 

 evinces this : pcrh.ips the remark was intended for the Qi. Eqni. 



Vol. III. Ctq Of 



