

TRF.ATMENT OF FLY-BLOWN SHEEP. 187 



•pedes of this genus resemble one another closely, 

 both in appearance and mode of life. They are ex- 

 ceedingly voracious, feeding upon carcasses and filth 

 of every description. In five days after being hatched 

 they arrive at full growth, provided they have plenty 

 of food ; they then cease to eat, and seek to assume 

 the pupa state, crawling under ground two or three 

 inches. Here they remain about fourteen days, when 

 the shell cracks, and the imago, or fly, appears. In 

 this last state, they feed also on putrid juices, sucking 

 them through their probosces." 



The correctness of this description of their trans- 

 formations I can attest, from having watched their 

 habits during my anatomical pursuits in the summer 

 months. 



(148.) Treatment of Fly-blown Sheep. When the 

 sheep is fly-blown, dislodge the maggots with a knife, 

 and shake a little powdered white lead into the wound. 

 Do not apply tar to the abraded surface, as, from its 



uterizing effects, the wound will be enlarged, and a 

 repetition of the visit speedily ensured. To ward otF 

 the onset of the flies, various substances noxious to them 

 we rubbed or poured upon the wool. Tar, in small 

 quantities, and of pungent quality, is by some daubed 

 upon the ears, horns, and tail. Others prefer rubbing 

 a little melted butter, thickened by flour of sulphur, 

 along the sheep's back: this is an effectual preventive. 

 Some, again, prefer dressing the sheep, when in low 

 situations, with the following recipe, which I take 

 the liberty of copying from Mr Mather's paper on 

 the fly, in the Quarterly Journal of Agricvlfure, 

 No. XXIV. 



