Linnean Societi/. STT 



The reading of Mr. Vigors' extended paper On the Natural 

 Jiffinilies that conned the Orders and Families of Birds ; like- 

 ■wise occupied the attention of the Society on Feb. 17 and March 2. 



March 16. — The reading of Mr. Vigors' paper was also con- 

 tinued at this meeting ; and the following communication was 

 read : 



On the insect called Oia-rpot by the ancient Greeks y and Asilus 

 by the Romans; by W. S. MacLeay, Esq. F.L.S. Communi- 

 cated by the Zoological Club of the Linnean Society." In this 

 paper, which may interest the lovers of Classical Antiquity as well 

 as those of Natural History, Mr. MacLeay has produced many in- 

 teresting proofs that the CEstrus of the ancients, 



*' cui nomen Asilo 



Romanum est, CEstron Graii vertere vocantes." (Virg, Georg, II.), 



was not the insect to which this name is now given ; but a Tabanus. 

 Olivier first observed that it was ditferent from the CEstrum of the 

 moderns. Pliny uses the name Tabanus for the My«4/, which Aris- 

 totle says is nearly related to CEstrus, both being ti^-TrpoTdsvxsvrpx', 

 it cannot therefore be the modern CEstrus : he also says that both 

 are bloodsuckers, which agrees with the Linna!an Tabam\ but is 

 wholly inapplicable to the modern CEstrus. As the insect is too 

 well known for its name to have been forgotten or misapplied, 

 there can be little doubt but that the Latin Tabanus, Italian 

 Tabano, Spanish Tavano, and French Taon, are identical. 

 Mouflfet gives the latter as the same with the English Brccse, 

 Clcgg, and Clinger, mentioned by Shakspeare, who speaking of 

 Cleopatra, says : 



" The Brize upon hor, like a cow in June, 



Hoiiitssail and flies." , 



Some elucidation is also derived from Homer, and tlie Prometheus 

 of iEschylus; and it is observed that Virgil describes the Asilus or 

 CEstrus as abundant and acerba sonans, whereas our CEstrus bovit 

 is a rare and silent insect. They were first confounded by 

 Valisnieri, who has been followed by Martyn, and others. Mr. 

 MacLeay infers that Aristotle did not even know the latter, from 

 his assertion that no Dipterous Insect has a sting behind. 



