ENTOMOLOGICAL CABINET. 



GESTRUS BOVIS. Lihni. 

 O.v Bot or Gad-fly. 



This insect is represented in the plate of the 

 natural size, and is of a pale yellowish brown colour, 

 with the thorax marked by four longitudinal dusky 

 streaks, and the body by a black bar across the 

 middle, the tip being covered with tawny or orange- 

 coloured hairs : the wings are pale brown and 

 unspotted. 



" The female of this species, when ready to deposit 

 eggs, fastens on the back of a heifer or cow, and 

 piercing the skin with the tube situated at the tip of 

 the abdomen, deposits an egg in the puncture : she 

 then proceeds to another spot at some distance from 

 the former, repeating the same operation at intervals 

 on many parts of the animal's back. This operation is 

 not performed without severe pain to the animal on 

 which it is practised ; and it is for this reason that 

 cattle are observed to be seized with such violent 

 horror, when apprehensive of the approaches of the 

 female GEstrus ; flying with uncontrollable rapidity, 

 and endeavouring to escape their tormentor by 

 taking refuge in the nearest pond ; it being observed 

 that this insect rarely attacks cattle when standing in 

 water. 



In the punctures of the skin thus formed by the 

 gad-fiy the several eirgs hatch, and the larva; by their 

 6-5 



