272 (ESTRIDjE. 



oblique, parted by a little less than its length from the border, and by 

 a little more than its length from the prsebrachial transverse. Alula 

 very large. Halteres concealed by the alulas. Abdomen nearly oval, a 

 little narrower but not longer than the thorax ; dorsal segments extend- 

 ing beneath, where they are slightly retracted towards the base ; ventral 

 segments very small. Legs rather short and slender; ungues and 

 onychia small. 



1. Ovis, L. Fn. 1734 (1761); F. ; Schr. ; Gmel. ; Lea.; Latr. ; 

 Clark ; Fal. ; Meig. ; Mcq. ; Zett. Fusca, nigro-tuberculata, capite 

 subtus antennisque testaceis, harum articulo tertio pectoreque nigris, 

 halteribus albidis, abdomine nigro argenteo-tessellato, pedibus fulvis. 

 Long. 5 ; alar. 10 lin. 



Head and thorax pale brown above, with numerous minute black tuber- 

 cles. Head testaceous in front and beneath. Antennaa testaceous ; 

 third joint black above. Pectus black, clothed with pale hairs. Wings 

 quite limpid, rugulose ; veins testaceous. Halteres whitish. Abdomen 

 black or dark brown, tessellated with silvery- white tomentum. Legs 

 pale tawny. 



" Infests sheep, and lays its eggs on the inner margin of the 

 nostrils, from whence the maggots make their way into the head, 

 feeding in the maxillary and frontal sinuses on the mucilage there 

 produced. When full grown, they fall through the nostrils to 

 the ground, and become pupse. Sometimes the maggots make 

 their way even into the brain, and occasion the death of the animal. 

 In order to prevent the gad-fly from getting at their nostrils, the 

 sheep shake their heads and strike the ground violently with their 

 fore feet ; or run away, and, getting into ruts, dry dusty spots, or 

 gravel-pits, crowd together and hold their noses close to the 

 ground. The anal plates are surmounted by a central boss, which 

 is a valve that closes the respiratory orifices." Generally distri- 

 buted. (E. S. I.) 



2. picta, Meg.; Meig. Zw. iv. 172. 8 (1824); Curt.! B. E. iii. 

 106. Argenteo-cinerea, nigro-hirta, capite tessellato, fronte scutelloque 

 castaneis, facie antennisque ferrugineis, thorace abdomineque nigro- 

 variis, alis limpidis basi flavescentibus, pedibus ferrugineis, femoribus 

 nigro-variis. Long. 5 ; alar. 10 lin. 



Body grey, silvery, clothed with black hairs. Region of the ocelli and 

 hind part of the head tessellated with grey. Front castaneous, with 

 grey glance. Face pale ferruginous, with a hoary tinge. Eyes fer- 

 ruginous. Antennae pale ferruginous, with a hoary tinge. Thorax 

 adorned with black spots and stripes. Scutellum castaneous. Wings 

 colourless, yellowish towards the base ; veins brown. AlulaB brown. 

 Abdomen silvery, variegated with black. Legs ferruginous ; thighs 

 partly black and grey beneath. 



