Larvce of Diptera in Wounds. Fly Blow. 6i 



Sarcophaga Magnifica is of a grayish ash color, the head 

 broader than the thorax, the vertex, front and palpi black, the 

 face of a silvery white, and the legs black. The length is lo 

 to 13 ram. 



Megnin has found the larva of this fly most common in wounds 

 of man and domestic animals in Europe giving rise to great 

 destruction of the tissues in horses, oxen, sheep, swine, dogs, 

 camels, and birds. It attacks also the natural cavities as the 

 nose, mouth, sheath, interdigital canal, etc. 



Lucilia Serricata is smaller than the blue bottle fly, has a 

 greenish blue tint, with white face and epistoma, and the first 

 ring of the abdomen black. 



The ' ' fly-striking " or " maggot ' ' in sheep in Holland has 

 been traced to this fly. The usual point of attack is the tail or 

 hips when sheep have been .scouring because of food or intestinal 

 worms, but they will select any part of the body which may have 

 become wet and soiled by lying in manure, or soaked by reason 

 of skin disease, heavy rains or otherwise. The most common 

 cause is diarrhoea determined by entozoa, hence in all cases of 

 "fly-striking," especially in lambs, worms should be suspected. 

 The proximity of trees, brush or other shelter for the flies .should 

 also be taken into account. Hot, damp showery weather is a 

 common accessory. In spite of Neumann's assertion to the con- 

 trary, well conditioned sheep suffer as well as the badly kept. 

 The wet climate of the British Isles and Holland strongly favors 

 these attacks. 



Symptoms. In summer and autumn when the flies abound 

 sheep should be seen and critically examined twice a day. One 

 that has left the flock, to mope under a bush, is to be strongly sus- 

 pected. One soiled about the tail and hips or elsewhere, one 

 showing a dark patch on the uniform gray of the fleece, one with 

 tufts of white drawn out by rubbing or biting, one showing a dis- 

 position to bite or rub itself, or a constant shaking of the tail is 

 probably attacked. When caught and examined the wool over 

 the affected part is dark and closely matted, and in its roots, or in 

 raw worm-eaten sores, or in cavities under the derma, to which 

 small sores open, are found the maggots in myriads and of all 

 sizes, with two booklets on the head and three stigmata on the 

 tail. When badly affected death may ensue in twenty-four 

 hours. 



