FIRST OBSERVATION OF OPEN WARBLE. Y 



First observations of open Warble-swelUnri. 

 Careful watch was kept both on Hving cattle and newly-flayed hides 

 in various localities throughout the winter of 1885-1886, in order to 

 secure the date of the first appearance of the warble in its open condi- 

 tion, which took place (generally) from about the 14th to the 25th of 

 February, The first advance on the condition of a mere hair-like 

 streak through the hide was found in specimens cut from the hide of a 

 young bull, and sent me by Mr. John Dalton, of Wigton, on Jan. 27th. 



Fig. b. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 3.- 



-Maggots, club-shaped and worm-like, magnified, 

 of young maggot, much magnified. 



Fig. 4.— Mouth-forL-s 



Following this I had observations from various places in England 

 and Ireland during February of the progressive enlargement of the 

 warble-lumps, — as of lumps increasing in number and size ; some 

 "appearing like a gathering coming to a head." On February 

 18th Messrs. Hatton, of Hereford, mentioned that they had received 

 an ox-hide with many warbles in it, specimens of the maggots from 

 which were forwarded ; * and on the previous day they had informed 

 me that notice had already been given that hides on Birmingham 

 Market would be sorted for warbles, and those having more than 

 three would be out-classed ; and from various quarters, especially from 

 Mr. Hy. Thompson, M.E.C.V.S., Aspatria, Cumberland, to whom I 

 have been greatly indebted for assistance in oiir researches, I received 

 specimens of infested hide, or of young warble-maggots. 



In the earliest of these there was the first appearance of the warble 

 as a perj'orated sivellinij, with the maggot of a clearly distinguishable 

 size within. The channel through the hide was still very small, the 

 opening on the outside being about as large as the prick of a common 

 darning-needle, and below, though larger, scarcely the sixteenth of an 

 inch across. The smallest of the maggots from these warbles were 

 about a quarter of an inch long by a third of that measure in width, 

 not as yet oval, but straightish, and somewhat worm-like in shape; 

 when older they become rather enlarged towards the mouth end, so as 



♦ The cost of this hide was 29s., whereas the value of the same weight of hide 

 free from warbles would have been 35s. 5d. 



