Melophagus Ovina. Louse Fly. 67 



or breathing orifices. The female produces her young one at a 

 time as a pupa, sticking the pupa case to the wool. From these 

 the young emerge in the course of four weeks. 



They are found especially on long-wooled sheep, the fine wools 

 affording them too little freedom of movement. Though often 

 abundant on the weak and ill-conditioned, they may be found on 

 the most thrifty. After shearing they tend to leave the shorn for 

 the unshorn or the lambs, where they can secure better cover. 



They live by drinking the blood of the sheep, proving injurious 

 both by irritation and depletion. They will draw blood from 

 man, secreting at the same time a venom which causes swelling 

 and irritation four days later, and which may check coagulation 

 of the blood while being drawn (Curlice). The plumpest speci- 

 mens perish under four days when deprived of blood, their nor- 

 mal food (Curtice). 



Symptoms consist in rubbing, scratching or biting, exception- 

 ally wriggling of the tail and the loosening and exposure of white 

 tufts of wool. When present in moderate numbers only, symp- 

 toms may fail ; when in large numbers unthriftiness, emaciation 

 and debility may be present. On parting the wool the melopha- 

 gus can always be seen, in warm weather near the surface, and 

 in cold near the roots of the wool. 



Treatment consists in the use of sheep dips which will destroy 

 the parasite. One of the best is the tobacco dip : (tobacco 16 lbs. , 

 oil of tar 3 pints, soda ash 20 lbs., soft soap 4 lbs., water 50 

 gallons. Sufficient for 50 sheep. Use at 70° F. and work well 

 into the wool). Any effective dip used for scab may be selected. 

 The lime and sulphur dip, and the carbolic acid dip have a 

 slightly injurious effect on the wool, the mercurial dips injure by 

 absorption, and both these last and the arsenical dips cause acci- 

 dental poisoning through being taken into the stomach. 



Both sheep and lambs should be dipped immediately after 

 shearing, and turned into yard or pasture where no sheep have 

 been, and where neither the mature parasite nor the pupa can be 

 found. To be effective, it is desirable to repeat the dipping in 

 one or two weeks to kill any that have escaped the first dipping 

 through being in the pupa stage, and that have hatched out since. 

 In extreme ca.ses a third or even a fourth dipping may be called 

 for, but if thoroughly worked into the wool with the hands and 



