44 BULLETIN" 597, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



producing great annoyance by its buzzing. During thrashing 

 moisture collects within the basket and, when the dust settles upon 

 this, creates a condition which greatly handicaps the animal's breath- 

 ing. These baskets retail for 35 cents each when fitted with two 

 snaps. 



While protection of any description about the lips will prevent 

 many ovipositions and annoyance by flies, by far the most effective de- 

 vice consists of a simple strip of leather extending over the lips and 

 fastened at the bit rings. This actually covers the portions of 

 the lips upon which the flies lay their eggs and upon horses thus pro- 

 tected an absence of eggs and annoyance has been noted. During the 

 movement of the horse's head in walking, especially when working, 

 this protection not only covers the lips, but swings to and fro and 

 tends to repel the flies. The nostrils being exposed, it does not hinder 

 breathing. Due to the cost of leather, very few of these are in use, 

 but if one obtains an old belt from a thrashing machine great num- 

 bers can be made. It requires only a strip which will extend from 

 one bit ring to the other and be from 4 to 6 inches in width. The size 

 of the strip will depend upon the size of the horse's head. A snap 

 placed at each end near the center facilitates handling, and the pro- 

 tector can be snapped onto the harness when not in use. 



PROTECTORS FOR PASTURED ANIMALS. 



Studies of efficiency of halter appliances for pastured horses have 

 been made, and while conclusive results have not been obtained, a 

 type has been designed which promises to meet the demand. At 

 first halters were used with a piece of leather covering the jaws and 

 hanging so as to flap against the lips when the animal walked. The 

 front of the halter was provided with a face net which swung over 

 the nostrils and lips. This proved unsatisfactory, as the flap, if 

 long enough to protect the animals during depositions, was too long 

 during grazing. The horses would step upon them with the fore 

 feet, causing them to break. 



A variation from the most efficient work-horse protector was 

 devised by using a piece of duck on the rear, so as to cover the jaws 

 and prevent G. nasalis from depositing in this location (see fig. 4). 

 A block of wood under the center and below the lips enables a horse 

 to graze with ease and at the same time be protected from flies when 

 the head is held above the ground. The cloth on the rear also pre- 

 vents ingress of G. intestinalis larvae by preventing the horse from 

 scratching portions infested with eggs. When the head is placed 

 upon other animals the device occasions such discomfort that almost 

 immediately the horses move and prevent the protected animal from 

 becoming infested from their bodies. 



For pasture uses the leather becomes soft and at times exposes the 

 corners of the mouth, but excellent results have been obtained by sub- 



