LOSSES ON WARBLED HIDES. XXXIX 



" We venture to think it would be sufficient to state that one-half 

 of the hides taken in by tanners direct from the butchers are warbled, 

 and show an average loss of 5s. to 6s. each ; this would, of course, 

 show a rough estimate of some thousands of pounds in the United 

 Kingdom, independently of the numbers declared from the markets, 

 and we regret to say that many hides which are classed as perfect on 

 the market '^^ prove to be covered with minute warble-grubs when the 

 flesh and hair are removed by the tanner." 



Various other communications were sent me from tanners as to 

 amount of warble-presence in hides sent in, but these have been 

 enough entered on under warble-effects in the preceding pages. 



It may not, hoivecer, be out of place here to point out ivJuit (jreat r/ood 

 could be done towards warble-prevention by exhibition of warbled hides. 

 Wiien the hide is on the animal the mischief is very much hidden by 

 the hair ; but when the hide is displayed after death, then its loath- 

 some condition, with the maggots working in it, shows the state of 

 the case. The farmer naturally is not likely to be forward to draw 

 attention to his beast being warbled ; the cattle salesman or auctioneer 

 will (or too often will) declare anything to get a beast, whose back is 

 well-nigh eaten up with so-called " rottenness " from maggots, off his 

 hands ; and for the butcher it would be no gaining speculation to 

 show the fearfully disgusting state of hides, beneath which the backs 

 were, in the words of Mr. Williams (tanner), of Haverfordwest, 

 *' a mass of jelly from warbles." So the matter gets hushed up, but 

 if the real state of the case could be shown it would be thoroughly 

 desirable. 



* " Classed as perfect on the market." During the time when it was necessary 

 I should examine the condition of hide personally, to ascertain what might be going 

 on for myself, I was one day examining a newly-flayed warbled hide, shown me by 

 a neighbouring butcher on a large scale, who worked a good deal for me on the 

 matter of warble investigation ; and, with the under side of the warbled hide before 

 us, he showed me how to pass a ''grubby " hide on the inspectors as perfect. The 

 process was simple. Just with a penknife to make a little slit across the thin 

 tissue covering the maggot ; then a gentle pressure frees it, or allows it to come out ; 

 the puffed-up apparent swelling caused by the maggot-presence sinks down flat ; and 

 though I did not experiment myself enough to be sure of possibilities of deceiving 

 the inspector, I should say that the plan was one which, if not known of, it might 

 be well to draw attention to as practicable. It may be well to add that my 

 informant was then a butcher doing a large business, and in communication with 

 hide firms, but has now retired. — Ed. 



