196 Forty-fifth Report on the State Museum. 



by unsightly and unhealthful sores, and a diminution in the flow of 

 milk from one-third to one-half: and, secondly, to reduce the number of 

 the flies by preventing their breeding. It is not difficult to do this. 

 While there are several greasy substances which, if applied to the cattle, 

 will prevent the flies from alighting and inflicting their bites, it is thought 

 that the best results have been obtained from the application, at least 

 once a week, to the tips of the hair with a sponge, of Ash-oil in which a 

 little carbolic acid has been mixed. This has been found to give almost 

 entire immunity from attack for nearly a week. Any application of 

 tar to the horns is useless, as when gathered there the flies do no serious 

 harm, having only selected a convenient resting place from which they 

 may not be dislodged by the sweep of the tail, or by ordinary 

 rubbing. 



A knowledge of the breeding habit of the fly suggests a simple 

 remedy available against its multiplication. The insect breeds in the 

 droppings of the cattle. Its eggs are deposited almost wholly during 

 the night in the fresh droppings; it has been stated that from their 

 point of observation about the base of the tail, the flies follow the drop- 

 pings to the ground, and at once deposit their eggs therein. For the 

 hatching of the eggs and the development of the larva into the winged 

 insects, moisture is required. If, therefore, every morning during the 

 prevalence of the fly the droppings of the night be thinly spread over 

 the field with a shovel, so as to permit its speedy and thorough drying, 

 the eggs and the larvae that may be therein will die from want of the 

 proper moisture needed for their development. This method is so 

 simple that no dairyman should hesitate to charge himself with its dili- 

 gent performance. Another means of killing the insect in its early 

 stages is said to be sprinkling lime over the droppings. While this 

 does not seem as simple a remedy as the one before mentioned, it might 

 be desirable for use in stables. 



In the Fifth Report on the Insects of New YorJc, 1889, several pages 

 have been given to the life-history and habits of this insect (Hcema- 

 tobia serrata), its introduction from the south of France into this 

 country, the character of its injuries, its distribution, together with 

 some preventives and remedies which have not been named in this 

 notice. A representation of the fly and its peculiar and formidable 

 biting and sucking apparatus is also there given. 



Professor John B. Smith, entomologist of the New Jersey Agri- 

 cultural College Experiment Station, has given a bulletin (No. 62, 

 November, 1889) of forty pages on " The Horn Fly," which is an inter- 

 esting and highly valuable paper. It is possible that some copies of 



