Mr. W. S. MacLeay on the Gstrus of Mr. B. Clark. 23 
flies composed of Tabani, “ Conopses,’’ Asili, and Culices, which have 
all spotted wings, and of which the three first have lately taken to the 
filthy habit of “ sweat sucking.’ Our worthy “ Naturalist,’’ however, is 
still in doubt whether Culices suck.* 
Second Discovery.—A new tribe of animals called ‘ Conopses,” 
which, having so classical a name, were no doubt also known to the 
ancients, and I hope when Mr. Clark describes them in the next volume 
of the Linnean Transactions, he will also identify them. So far as I am 
concerned, I assure him there will be no disagreeable discussion on the 
subject, although some ignorant innovators are very likely to change the 
name as being too near to kwyw7ec. 
Third Discovery. —‘‘ (Estri are like ichneumon flies, which deposit 
“< their eggs on the sides of caterpillars of Lepidoptera, and then hatch- 
“‘ ing, perforate their skins and live on the parenchyma.’’ Now, I 
do say, that of all this gentleman’s “curious discoveries,’’ this is the 
most curious, that ichneumon flies, in order to perforate caterpillars, 
walk out of the eggs which they themselves have laid. 
Fourth Discovery.—The testimonies of the ancients with respect 
to CEstrus militate against each other, according to Mr, Clark. I only 
trust that, when the members of that Linnean Council which so acutely 
distinguished the merits of Mr. Clark’s paper, are re-elected, they will 
allow him to shew how, 
Fifth Discovery.—The greater part of Mr. Clark’s paper is taken 
up with shewing that the presence of an strus bovis has a greater 
influence on an Ox than that of a Tabanus.t Iam not aware of any 
* What in the nameof heaven has put “‘ Conopses,’’ Asili, and Culices, into 
this learned Theban’s head? The ancients knew but too well the Culices to 
take them for QGistri. The Asili are insectivorous insects, and the Conopes, 
which I suppose he means, are, in their larva state, parasitical upon Humble Bees, 
and, in their perfect state, perfectly harmless. The Conops calcitrans of Linneus, 
is, indeed, an insect that sucks blood, (not sweat, as I know by sad experience 
both here and in Europe,) but this species was some fifty years ago separated 
from the genus by Geoffroy and Degeer under the name of Stomorys. 
+ I have already said that the ancients as well as the moderns, such for 
instance as the author quoted by Archdeacon Nares, may all have confounded 
the Brize with the (2strus when flying. The fact is, we inherit this confusion 
