90 



DOMESTIC AliTMAT.S. 



a and &, the eggs of the gad-fly adhering to the hair of the horse ; c, the appearance of the 

 bots on the stomach, firmly adhering by their hooked mouths. The marks or depressions are 

 seen which are left on the coat of the stomach when the bots are detached from their hold; d. 

 the hot detached; e, the female of the gad-fly of the horse, prepared to deposit her eggs;^ 

 the gad-fly by which the red bots are produced ; g, the smaller, or red bot. 



Bots, — In the spring and early part of the summer, horses are much 

 troubled by a grub or caterpillar, which crawls out of the anus, fastens 

 itself under the tail, and seems to cause a great deal of itching or un- 

 easiness. Grooms are sometimes alarmed at the appearance of these 

 insects. Their history is curious, and will dispel every fear with regard 

 to them. We are indebted to Mr. Bracy Clark for almost all we know 

 of the bot. 



A species of gad-fly, e, the cetrus equi, is in the latter part of the 

 summer exceedingly busy about the horse. It is observed to be dart- 

 ing with great rapidity toward the knees and sides of the animal. The 

 females are depositing their eggs on the hair, and which adhere to it by 

 means of a glutinous fluid with which they are surrounded (a and 6). 

 In a few days the eggs are ready to be hatched, and the sh'ghtest appli- 

 cation of warmth and moisture will liberate the little animals which 

 they contain. The horse in licking himself touches the egg ; it bursts. 



tinues after an external opening is made, and deep sinuses are formed in various 

 directions, rendering it almost impossible to get a depending opening. 



The abscess should not be opened till the matter is thoroughly formed, and then 

 a depending opening should be made, through which a seton may be passed. The 

 great error frequently made in the treatment of poll-evil is, that tliese openings are 

 not made half large enougli. so that much of tlie pus flows in another direction, and 

 there forms sinuses. Now, the chief art in the treatment of this disease is to use 

 the bistoury freely, to lay all the siimses open as much as possible, and to throw 

 them together; then to make the lower opening extremely large, and as low down 

 as possible — large enough, indeed, for two fingers to be inserted. If the bone is 

 injured, it will be necessary to apply some caustic application, in order to cause a 

 healthy slough. Pressure is found very useful in keeping tlie sides of the wound 

 together, and preserving the formation of sinuses. "With this view, it has been re- 

 commended to ajjply a tight compress, by means of bandages, round the part, but 

 it is extremely inconveniejit to aj)ply them, in consequence of the windpipe inter- 

 fering. — Spooner. 



