WASPS, OESTRUS CURVICAUDA, NOSE FLY. 289 



its Danish camp, there haunts a species of wild bee, making its 

 nest in the chalky soil. When people approach the place, these 

 insects begin to be alarmed, and, with a sharp and hostile sound, 

 dash and strike round the heads and faces of intruders. I have 

 often been interrupted myself while contemplating the grandeur 

 of the scenery around me, and have thought myself in danger of 

 being stung. 



WASPS. 



WASPS abound in woody wild districts far from neighbour- 

 hoods ; they feed on flowers, and catch flies and caterpillars to 

 carry to their young. Wasps make their nests with the raspings 

 of sound timber ; hornets, with what they gnaw from decayed : 

 these particles of wood are kneaded up with a mixture of saliva 

 from their bodies, and moulded into combs. 



When there is no fruit in the gardens, wasps eat flies, and 

 suck the honey from flowers, from ivy blossoms, and umbellated 

 plants : they carry off also flesh from butchers' shambles.* 



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. 



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 



* In the year 1775 wasps abounded so prodigiously in this neighbourhood, that, in the mouth 

 of August, no less than seven or 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, 



* Great numbers of these are devoured by the flusher shrike (lanius collurit)- ED. 



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