COMPLAINTS OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 175 



and a number of deaths amongst Army horses were 

 caused through this. The hning of the gullet is pro- 

 longed to form a portion of the lining of the stomach 

 — its cuticular lining — and it not uncommonly happens 

 that the larval form of the horse bee or bot-fly (gastro- 

 philus equi, as it is caUed), is found attached to this 

 hning. It is of interest to note that this fly lays its eggs 

 on the skin of the horse about hay time — July. The eggs 

 or nits will be found adhering to the hair, especially about 

 the inner side of the forearm, on the shoulders, etc. They 

 are very often mistaken for the nits of lice but they are 

 larger. Somehow or another the horse licks these parts, 

 probably on account of the irritation induced. The eggs 

 develop into the maggot stage and the tongue of the 

 horse must transfer them to the stomach, where they 

 develop into the so-called " bots," and there they remain 

 attached to the cuticular lining throughout the winter, 

 until the following spring. About this time the grass, plus 

 nature, causes them to pass out of the body and remain 

 concealed in the ground, until metamorphosis is completed 

 and the adult fly the result. 



Starlings and various other birds must account for 

 the destruction of a large percentage whilst in the larval 

 form on the ground. The stomach of the horse provides 

 a very safe but temporary home. Whilst in the stomach 

 they are barrel-shaped and usually fixed closely to- 

 gether, in fact, in colonies. In exceptional instances 

 their presence may do harm, but not as a rule. The 

 position they occupy in the stomach is against this. 

 The chances of survival are extremely small, nevertheless 

 the gastrophilus equi is quite a common fly, but not as 

 common as the ox-warble fly. The best remedy that we 

 are acquainted with is turpentine and linseed oil, 2 oz. 

 of the former to a pint of the latter, repeated at intervals 

 of about a week or ten days. The commonest digestive 

 trouble is that known as 



