SKVERITY OF WARBLE-ATTACK. XV 



a half old, which was very much warbled, and which showed signs of 

 a considerable amount of inflammation. I have cat a piece out and 

 forward it for yoin' inspection You will notice that the mem- 

 brane covering the warble is much thinner than at a later period. I 

 cannot help thinking that the death of this animal has been brought 

 about solely by warbles : the irritation caused by the presence of so 

 large a number must have been very great, and it may be supposed 

 the draw upon the system to supply such a large colony with food 

 must have been more than could be borne." — John Dalton, Wigton, 

 March 28th, 1885. 



[The thinness alluded to was very noticeable, the segments of the 

 maggot being clearly discernible through the membrane. The piece 

 of hide contained eight or nine warbles in a space of not more than 

 two and a half inches square, and was in a state of inflammation. The 

 maggots were upwards of a sixth of their full growth, and the warbles 

 containing them in some cases so close together as not to be clearly 

 distinguishable from each other. — En.] 



" Almost immediately after receipt of your letter to-day we had- the 

 skin of a yearling sent in ; it was covered with warbles down the 

 centre of the back. The man who brought it said they considered it 

 died of 'blackleg.' We think the warbles killed it. This makes the 

 fifth within the last font or five days, all supposed to die of ' blackleg, 

 or quarter-evil,' but all equally affected by warbles. By this post we 

 send you a box of the maggots, all of which the writer cut out within 

 the space of this sheet of paper." — Messrs. C. and H. IIatton, Barton 

 Tannery, Hereford. 



" We received a hide to-day taken off a beast supposed to have 

 died of ' blackleg.' Looking at it spread open, it was most distressing 

 to think that a poor beast should be allowed to get in such a state. 

 However, we have cut the centre out, and send it you by this post." — 

 Messrs. C. and H. Hatton, Barton Tannery, Hereford. 



[The piece of hide was 28 in. long by 8|- in. at the widest part, and 

 contained upwards of seventy-two warbles. — -Ed.] 



From Mr. W. Williams (tanner), of Haverfordwest, I heard (when 

 writing regarding distribution of leaflets) : — 



"I should make a point of giving a copy to each farmer when 

 paying him for his dead hides, of which great numbers come in every 

 spring with their backs in a mass of jelly from warbles. I have some- 

 times pointed out cases where the Avarbles were sufficient to cause 

 death, but the farmers will not believe it, and say it was inflammation 

 of the kidneys." 



In the course of our investigations, through the courtesy of Prof. 

 Wortley Axe, of the Koyal Veterinary College, Camden Town, who at 

 my request examined for me the heart of a rant which was warbled 



