INSECTS. 157 



infested with the common horse-fly to such an extent 

 that it requires a considerable amount of determination 

 to face these places, particularly towards evening. At 

 that time of the day I have been nearly driven wild 

 by them when waiting for deer to come to drink. 



I suppose animal pests, in the shape of insects, act 

 as stimuli up to a certain extent ; at the same time, pro- 

 bably, it can be overdone. As before said, I certainly 

 never observed that my dogs were the least the worse 

 for the relays of ticks that they constantly picked up. 

 Fat deer are equally attacked by ticks as those in poor 

 condition. These animals have their favourite trees for 

 rubbing themselves on, probably either the size or shape 

 suits or fits the particular place generally attacked by 

 the insect. Behind the ear and neck these blood-suckers 

 appreciate more than the body. Wild boar never seem 

 to be made food of by the same species of tick as deer 

 are, but by one of the ugliest, coarsest, and largest insects 

 of its genus I ever saw. 



One of the most ingenious insects I know of is the 

 ant-lion. The stratagems this curious-looking thing 

 adopts to catch its prey are worth noting. I believe it 

 belongs to a genus between the dragon-fly and the 

 Reinerobius. It resembles a wood-louse, but is more 

 triangular in form, the anterior part being wider than 



