294 TROUBLESOME FLIES. 



and others, nearly obliged us to abandon our 

 game, for portions of the animal were almost im- 

 mediately covered with white maggots, (the 

 " blow flies" in this country are viviparous,)* 

 and on the conclusion of my investigations, we 

 were glad to take our departure, and leave the 

 carcase to myriads of tormenting insects that 

 were fast increasing from all directions. I ob- 

 served the molar teeth of the two female kan- 

 garoos had a layer of metallic substance incrusting 

 them, and could readily be knocked off ; it re- 



* The maggots can be produced alive from the parent fly 

 by pressm-e upon the lower part of the abdomen ; the an- 

 noyance of these flies is great during the summer season ; 

 depositing their progeny upon every thing, even blankets. 

 Specimens of natural history, in the preparation of which 

 arsenical soap had been used, the larva of this fly has been de- 

 posited, and found lying dead in clusters, from the effects of the 

 poison. This renders dissection so difficult during the hot season 

 of the year, and for some portions of the anatomy it is the only 

 time for examining them in the recent state. I have even seen 

 game " blown" a minute after it has been killed. During my 

 journey, a man at one of the stations complained to me of a 

 dull pain in his ear, and as if something was moving in it ; he 

 first felt it after sleeping in a Kut a few nights previous. By 

 pouring brine mto the ear, a large white maggot crept out, 

 and afterwards some smaller ones. The ear being well washed 

 out, he suffered no more pain or inconvenience ; no wound or 

 disease of the ear appeared to exist. 



