DIPTERA. 111 
The first record that can be considered as referring to this form is 
the description of Linnzus, Systema Natura, and which in Turton’s 
translation, 1802 (Vol. III, p. 583), reads as follows: 
Hominis.—Body entirely brown 
Inhabits South America. Linnéap. Pall. Norl. Beytr., p. 157. Deposits its eggs 
under the skin on the bellies of the natives; the larva, if disturbed, penetrates deeper 
and produces an ulcer, which frequently becomes fatal. 
Subsequent authors failed to verify Linnzus’s account and concluded 
it was a myth, though Clark (Rees, Cyclopedia, article Bots), while 
considering it probably a spurious species, attempts to account for 
the record by saying that it is “perhaps merely an accidental deposit 
of Wstrus bovis in the human body, of which there are numerous 
instances.” 
Fabricius ignored itentirely inthe Systema Antliatorum, and Latreille 
considers that the larve referred to were those of Musca carnaria or 
some analagous species. 
Say, however, in 1822 described specimens which he had received 
from South America, and gives quite a detailed account of the habits 
as detailed by Dr. Harlan, who sent the specimens. (Jour. Acad. Nat. 
Sci. Phil., Vol. II, pp. 355-360; Complete Writings, Vol. II, pp. 52-38.) 
To the account published in Say’s Writings Dr. LeConte adds a 
description of his own experience witk the insect and states that it is 
supposed to be the Dermatobia noxialis of Goudot. 
Previous to this Keferstein (Uber @strus hominis, Verh. Zool.-Botan. 
Gessells. in Wien, 1856, p. 637) had collected all the known facts regard- 
ing the bots infesting the human body, and Coquerel in 1859 had 
described larvee taken from the human body in Cayenne, Mexico, and 
New Orleans (Revue et Magas. Zool., sér. 1859, T. 11, pp. 356-361), 
and with Sallé (361-367) and Laboulbéne in 1861 a similar larva from 
Cayenne. Other authors mentioning it are Hill (N. T.), account of the 
larva of a supposed (strus hominis or gad-fly, which deposits its eggs 
in the bodies of the human species (Edinb. new Phil. Jour., 1830, pp. 
284-288; Isis, p. 917, 1832), and Goudot (Observations sur un diptere 
exotique dont la larve nuit aux beeufs. Cuterebra noxialis. Ann. Sci. 
Nat., ser. 3, 1845, T. 3, pp. 221-230. Extr. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., ser. 2, 
1844, T. 2, Bull., pp. 40-42.) 
Brief mention is made of this species in the American Entomologist 
(Vol. I, p. 86) under the name of (strus hominis Gmelin, and in Pack- 
ard’s Guide (p. 406) occurs the tollowing condensed paragraph on the 
subject accompanied by figures: 
The genus Dermatobia includes the Ver macaque, of Cayenne and Mexico, found 
beneath the skin of man in tropical America, and it is disputed whether it be a true 
indigenous ‘ @strus hominis” or originally attacks the monkey, dog, or other ani- 
mal. In Cayenne the species attacking man is called the Ver Macaque; in Brazil, 
(Para) Ura; in Costa Rica, Torcel ; in New Grenada, Gusano peludo or Muche. The 
D, noxialis Goudot? Ver moyocuil lives on the dog and is found in Mexico and 
New Grenada. The larve are long, cylindrical, S-shaped, differing greatly from 
others of this family in form. ‘Ihe flies are closely allied to those of the preceding 
genus, 
