452 The Natural History of Se I borne 



OESTRUS CURVICAUDA. 



THIS insect lays its nits or eggs on horses' legs, flanks, &c., 

 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 (musca) 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, continually 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 ichneumon then running backward drew her 

 prey very nimbly over the walk into the standing grass. This 

 spider would be deposited in some hole where the ichneumon 

 would lay some eggs ; and as soon as the eggs were hatched, 

 the carcase would afford ready food for the maggots. 



