192 ZOOLOGY. 



many as a hundred or two hundred maggots in the 

 stomach or intestine, and they then cause, at the very 

 least, digestive disturbances and colic. If the maggots 

 ((?. nasalis) get into the windpipe (or larynx) they 

 interfere with the breathing; if into the gullet, with 

 swallowing. In either case death may ensue (winter, 

 early spring). Remedies: Killing the flies as they 

 lay their eggs. Removing the eggs by brushing, 

 combing, and washing; the last is best done with 

 warm water, to which some caustic potash is added. 

 Rubbing the lips and nostrils, neck, chest, and fore 

 legs with walnut leaves, or a decoction of the same. 



Family : Pupipara {Louse Flies). 



Body flat and broad; skin leathery and tough. 

 Fore legs curved, adapted for climbing among the 

 hairs. Some {e.g. the Forest Fly) have a pair of 

 wings, others (the Sheep Louse Fly) are wingless. 

 They bring forth living maggots, each time one only, 

 which is ready to become a pupa immediately. They 

 reproduce several times. Here belong : 1. The Forest 

 Fly, Spider Fly, or Flat Fly {Hippobosca equina), about 

 one-third of an inch long, brown, with broad abdomen, 

 and two broad stumpy wings. Occurs in summer and 

 early autumn, chiefly on horses, especially near the 

 anus, on the belly, and on the flanks. It sucks blood, 

 and irritates by running about on the body. Seldom 

 flies. 2. The Sheep Louse Fly, wrongly called " sheep 

 louse " and " sheep tick " {Melophagus ovinus) ; about 

 one-fifth of an inch long, wingless, rusty yellow, with 

 brown abdomen, very hairy. Climb slowly about 

 among the wool of the sheep, and suck blood. Their 

 excrement may colour the wool green. Lambs espe- 

 cially are much hindered in their growth by this fly. 

 The fleece is also damaged, for the itching set up by 

 the insect forces the animal to rub itself against 

 things so that the wool gets pulled out. The flies are 



