58 . OSTRICH FLY. 



this species infests the quagga, and is introduced on to 

 the ostrich by the frequent intermingling of the herds of 

 these birds and animals. 0. E. J. 



With regard to what may be appropriately called the 

 " Ostrich Flies," Mr. Bairstow wrote me, on the 20th of 

 May, 1886, as follows : " ... I send herewith three 

 or four flies from the pigeon " [figured and described in 

 following paper E. A. 0.], " and a lot of larger ones 

 with " (what were considered to be) " eggs of the insect. 

 They were sent me through an up-country correspondent, 

 Mr. J. H. Cawood, of Mount Stewart," who further 

 reported that there were thousands on the (ostriches), 

 and that they irritated the birds so that half of their 

 time was taken up in pecking at the flies, and that, 

 judging from the increase in the last two years, if some- 

 thing was not done to destroy them, the feathers would 

 not be worth sending to market, and the writer believed 

 that in time they would destroy the birds. 



With this communication specimens of the flies from 

 the ostriches were forwarded, together with several of 

 the so-called eggs, really pupa-cases which were laid 

 by the flies after they had been placed in the bottle in 

 which they were sent. None of these egg-like pupae 

 were found on the birds. 



Mr. Bairstow remarked that this appeared to be a 

 terrible pest, and well worth investigating, and later on 

 forwarded me more specimens, with the mention that 

 they were a very serious trouble, appearing (as he 

 correctly describes the habits of this kind of fly) " to 

 use both suckers and claws to irritate the bird, causing 

 it to peck and injure the feathers, especially those of 

 the wing, which are the most valuable." 



These observations are of especial interest, as, with 

 the exception of the flies recorded (as mentioned pre- 

 viously) on some wild ostriches, it had been considered 

 that the Hippobosca only attacked quadrupeds. The 

 very peculiar life-history of these flies that is, of the 

 Hippoboscidce may perhaps throw some light on the 



