406 71/;-. BiîACY Clakk on the Insect 



And again in an old Plaj^ quoted by Archdeacon Nares in his 

 Glossal-}', the following use of the word occurs, 



" I will put the Brize ill's tail, shall ?ct him gaduing presently." 



Now if MacLeay or Latreille, who entertains a similar opi- 

 nion, had ever been as much among cattle on the heaths, as mj^ 

 pursuits have led me, they would have long since obtained a 

 practical acquaintance with the etiects produced by these insects, 

 and would not have been led to suppose that the Tahani, Co- 

 nopscs, or Ctil/ces, were the object of poetic description, or have 

 made any mistake between the eflects of one and the other. 

 When the Tahan/ and Connpscs have come and settled in great 

 numbers on the back and sides of the animal, he would, as I 

 have often witnessed, scarcely regard them. A toss of the head, 

 perhaps, towards the part, if they sucked a little too vigorously ; 

 or, if thej^ were still more importunate, a lash of the tail, was in 

 general all the notice he would condescend to take of them. But 

 if an Œstrns approached, the consternation was indescribable, 

 and the agitation most remarkable ; and the object attacked, 

 however lazily he might be disposed from the heat of the weather, 

 or a full belly, would become suddenly as agile as a young deer, 

 and canter away, holding out his tail, and running with a sort of 

 undulatory movement of the back (thereby endeavouring, per- 

 haps, to disappoint the touch and designs of his enemy), till he 

 had obtained his accustomed retreat in the water, or the fly had 

 quitted him,^ — 



Tossing the foam 



They scorn the keeper's voice, and scour the plain, 

 Through all the bright serenity of noon ; 

 While from their labouiing breasts a hollow moan 

 Proceeding, runs, low-bellowing, round the hills. 



Thomson. 



Assuredly no Tabanus can produce any effects like these. Un- 

 able 



