420 THE OX GAfi-FL?. 



The pain it inflicts in depositing its egg is mucTi 

 more severe than in any of the other species. When 

 one of the cattle is attacked by this fly, it is easily 

 known by the extreme terror and agitation of the 

 whole herd. The unfortunate object of the attack 

 runs bellowing from among them to some distant 

 part of the heath, or the nearest water, while the 

 tail, from the severity of the pain, is held with a 

 tremulous motion straight from the body, in the 

 direction of the spine, and the head and neck are 

 also stretched out to their utmost length. The rest, 

 from fear, generally follow to the water, or disperse 

 to different parts of the field. 



Such is the dread that cattle have of these flies 

 that, when one of them has' met a herd, in their 

 way home from the labour of the day, they have 

 been known to turn back in the utmost affright, 

 regardless entirely of the stones, sticks, and noise 

 of their drivers ; and to proceed, without stopping, 

 to some retreat in the water, where they could be 

 secure from its attacks. All flies of this tribe 

 have such a dislike to water as never to follow 

 them there. 



When the oxen are yoked to the plough, the 

 attack of this fly is attended with real danger, as 

 they become perfectly uncontrollable, and will often 

 run with the plough directly forwards, even through 

 the hedges of the field. ' To many ploughs there is, 

 on this account, a contrivance to set them at liberty 

 the moment they are alarmed. 



The female fly is very quick in her operation of 

 depositing the eggi she does not remain on the 

 i 



