( xxi ) 



Miss E. A. Ormerod exhibited a piece of leather perforated by (EstridcB, 

 the punctures being more than one to the square inch. Miss Ormerod 

 called attention to what is known of the life-histor}' of our bot-Hies, and 

 especially of the warble-fly {Hypoderma bovis, DeG.), and made considerable 

 allusions to the practical necessity of attempting to lessen the amount of 

 injury occurring both to the cattle themselves and to the great loss from 

 warbled hides. Apparently what was required was to know the exact time 

 when the egg is laid in or on the cattle, and how early in life is the maggot 

 come-at-able under the bullock's hide, then probably methods of precaution 

 or remedy might be recommended that would be tolerably effective. Miss 

 Ormerod thought that the injury occasioned by the (Estrus larva could be 

 prevented with slight trouble and expense, and hoped that the necessary 

 observations to ensure successful treatment would be made. 



Mr. W. L. Distant agreed as to the great injury occasioned to the hides 

 by these pests, and recommended Miss Ormerod to address a letter to the 

 'Leather Trades Journal' upon the subject; he believed many people 

 engaged in the feather trade would be willing to lend their assistance 

 towards the object of lessening the number of warbled hides. 



Mr. E. A. Fitch said that the amount of damage occasioned by the 

 (Estrus larvfe was very uncertain ; he had always found short-horn beasts 

 (and especially yearling and two-year olds) most affected, and three and four 

 year old Welsh or Scotch beasts — conamonly known as 'runts' — quite free 

 from attack; he believed that the warble opened in May or June, but 

 there appeared to be some special difficulty in breeding the perfect (Estrus, 

 as he had tried it from many scores of larvse, but had never yet succeeded. 



Pcof. C. V. Riley expressed the interest he felt in the remarks of Miss 

 Ormerod. In reference to the time of year when the cavity opened, it 

 would differ somewhat in different countries and with individual larvae. In 

 the State of Illinois, where he had much experience with the species, the 

 larva left the cattle in May and June ; oviposition extended over a period 

 of several weeks, and there would be a corresponding difference in the 

 period of opening of the cavity. For this reason it was best to defer 

 destruction of the " warble" till late in the autumn, when the rubbing of 

 kerosene along the backs, or the use of a little mercurial ointment would 

 destroy the larvae. The insect was rarely injurious to grown cattle, but 

 when abundant affected the health of yearlings. The interests of the cattle 

 raiser and of the leather dealer had little in common, and it was for this 

 reason that it was so difficult to get concert of action on the part of stock- 

 raisers in freeing their animals from the insect. 



Miss Ormerod thanked Prof. Riley for his information, and said she 

 could give some confirmation of his remarks, as in some Northumbrian 

 districts the application of a mixture of oil with a small amount of turpentine 

 or of strong pickling brine had effected a perfect cure. 



