4i 8 OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS AND VERMES. 



eight of their nests were ploughed up in one field : of which there 

 were several instances, as I was informed. 



In the spring, about the beginning of April, a single wasp is 

 sometimes seen, which is of a larger size than usual ; this I 

 imagine is the queen or female wasp, the mother of the future 

 swarm. MARKWICK. 



OESTRUS CURVICAUDA. 



This insect lays its nits or eggs on horses' legs, flanks, etc., each 

 on a single hair. The maggots, when hatched, do not enter the 

 horses' skins, but fall to the ground. It seems to abound most 

 in moist, moorish places, though sometimes seen in the uplands. 

 WHITE. 



NOSE-FLY. 



About the beginning of July, a species of fly (mused] obtains, 

 which proves very tormenting to horses, trying still to enter their 

 nostrils and ears, and actually laying their eggs in the latter of 

 those organs, or perhaps in both. When these abound, horses in 

 woodland districts become very impatient at their work, continu- 

 ally tossing their heads, and rubbing their noses on each other, 

 regardless of the driver, so that accidents often ensue. In the 

 heat of the day, men are often obliged to desist from ploughing. 

 Saddle-horses are also very troublesome at such seasons. Country 

 people call this insect the nose-fly. WHITE. 



Is not this insect the Oestrus nasalis of Linnaeus, so well 

 described by Mr. Clark in the third volume of the " Linnaean 

 Transactions," under the name of Oestrus veterinus ? MARKWICK. 



ICHNEUMON FLY. 



I saw lately a small ichneumon fly attack a spider much larger 

 than itself on a grass walk. When the spider made any resistance, 

 the ichneumon applied her tail to him, and stung him with great 

 vehemence, so that he soon became dead and motionless. The 



