494 BRITISH HUSBANDRY..' [Ch. XXXIX. 



temper, we then confidently recommend his employer to the careful perusal 

 of that part of Youatt's " Sheep," which treats of their disorders : the most 

 prominent of which are produced by the various sorts of flies, maggots, and 

 lice ; besides those known as sturdy, itch, scab, foot-rot, red-water, braxy, 

 blindness, blood, pining, and the rot ; together with the accidents occa- 

 sioned by hoving, slipping of the lamb, and falling down of the womb. 



There are several species of flies by which sheep are very injuriously, 

 and sometimes destructively, infected during the summer months. Of these 

 the small common flies, though not dangerous, are yet extremely annoying 

 in all strongly inclosed and woody parts of the country ; and, in warm or 

 showery weather, occasion great torment to the flock : particularly to any 

 sheep which has the least sore or scratch upon the skin, which they attack 

 immediately, and are so eager for blood, that when any has been drawn 

 they crowd to it in myriads, and never leave until they are gorged. If the 

 sheep cannot be driven to the uplands, a good preventive is to wash them 

 immediately after their being sheared, and once or twice more during the 

 summer, with soap-suds, strongly impregnated with empyreumatic oil, 

 asafoetida, or any thing that will retain an off'ensive scent. 



Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, indeed says, that he has seen a flock upon 

 which flies had settled in such numbers, that when he went amongst the 

 sheep, he and the other persons with him could with difficulty see each 

 other; but those anointed with whale-oil were turned in among the rest, and 

 to his utter astonishment, in less than a minute not a fly was to be seen. He 

 afterwards noticed a similar circumstance ; and, as wool, when smeared with 

 whale-oil, never loses the savour till scoured, were the fleeces sprinkled with 

 it, it would probablj' keep the flies away. 



The Large Flesh-flies, or Shecp-Maggot-flies, more commonly known as 

 Blue-bottles, of which there are more than one species — black, white, and 

 greenish — closely resembling each other in their habits and appearance, yet 

 coming to maturity at different periods, are by far the most off'ensive : they 

 are generated by any carrion which is left exposed until it becomes putrid, 

 and the insect, when able to fly, being attracted by any strong odour like 

 that arising in hot misty weather, or in morning dew, from the sweat of the 

 sheep*, deposits its eggs upon any spot which appears likely to shelter and 

 nourish them into life. About the root of the tail, and immediately around 

 the anus, on those parts where excrement may have been hanging, are how- 

 ever the favourite places; though the back is by no means exempt. It is, 

 therefore, very desirable to clip the adjacent parts very closely previous to 

 the common shearing time, as well as a couple of months afterwards ; and 

 if the rump and buttocks be then well washed with the following liquid, it 

 will probably prevent the breeding of the maggot, without being injurious 

 to the wool : — 



Take 1 lb. of arsenic, finely powdered; 12 oz. of potash; 6 oz. of common yellow 

 soap ; 30 gallons of rain or river water. Boil the ingredients together for fifteen minutes ; 

 taking care to inhale as little as possible of the steam.f 



Arsenic should, however, be used with great caution, and many expe- 

 rienced shepherds use the following mixture with good efli'ect, namely — 



* Either a certain habit of body, or some kinds of food, are thought by Mr. Hogg to 

 give the excrement and jierspiration of any sheep which is infected, a peculiarly rancid 

 and loathsome smell ; for he says, that " you can, when near them, distinguish 

 those that will be soon infected." It is frequently accompanied by diarrhoea, but the 

 most healthy sheep are often attacked. 



f Mather, on the Sheep-Maggot and Fly, Prize Essays of the Highland Society, 

 Ni S, vol. iv. 



