n WARBLK FLY. 



mological Society, wrote that to him " we are indebted for a history 

 of many species of this family which leaves nothing to be desired " ; 

 and Prof. Riley (late Entomologist of the U. S. A. Department of 

 Agriciiltm-e) remarked, — relatively to information given by him on 

 Warble Fly, — " One of the best accounts appeared nearly one hundred 

 years ago in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 1797, 

 vol. iii. p. 289, in a paper read by Mr. Bracy Clark entitled ' Observa- 

 tions on the genus CEstrus,' in which the habits and means against the 

 Ox Bot were detailed practically as they are known to-day." 



This is not to be quite literally taken now, for in recent years infor- 

 mation has been gained, and advance has been made in kinds of 

 applications serviceable for dressings ; but still, Bracy Clark's obser- 

 vations — whether known, and acknowledged as his, or not — stand as 

 our centre of serviceable knowledge for practical farm use. 



Since his day, as well as before it, much lias been given l)y such 

 eminent writers as Latreille, Meigen, Westwood, and others enumerated 

 in the list before mentioned, including many papers by Dr. Brauer. 

 But these are not easily accessible, and in many cases are simply 

 technically entomological, and as it was very desirable to place before 

 those practically interested in the subject some amount of information 

 in a form easy of access, regarding the history of Ox Warble attack, 

 and means found practicable and serviceable for its prevention in 

 this country, at the present time, by our own agriculturists and cattle 

 owners, I undertook in 188i, whilst Consulting Entomologist of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, to endeavour to gain trustworthy informa- 

 tion on these points. My applications were most courteously and 

 widely responded to by leading cattle owners, farmers, and also by 

 heads of hide and tanning firms, and cattle and butchers' associations, 

 and for special points of investigation I was greatly helped by co- 

 operation of some of our leading veterinary surgeons. Specimens 

 were forwarded, and arrangements made, enabling me to examine the 

 infested hides in fresh state, and, when necessary, the newly flayed 

 carcase, — in fact, nothing was left undone to forward the research. I 

 invariably met with the most cordial co-operation, and the results of 

 the year's investigations were published yearly, each item of informa- 

 tion being carefully acknowledged to its sender, and a copy of the 

 report sent to each contributor, so as to give opportunity of correction 

 of any error in statement. 



So the work, our joint national work, has continued, and its 

 published results have spread over a large part of the world. It has 

 long been well knoAvu in various of our colonies, and in the United 

 States of America ; it has been translated for Continental use ; and at 

 home about 150,000 leaflets — some on Warble attack, some on Licked 

 Beef, one of the results of Warble attack, — have been circulated, 



