\ 
84 INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 
there, vet their motions are so rapid, that it is not very likely that cattle 
would often swallow them while feeding. 
M. Latreille, in an ingenious essay on this insect! suspects it to belong 
to the genus WMelée, and as this feeds upon herbs (M7. Proscarabeus and 
M. violaceus, upon the Ranunculi, so widely disseminated in our pastures), 
his opinion seems to rest upon more solid grounds than that of his prede- 
cessors; but yet, I think, the insect in question rather belongs to Mylabris, 
and for the following reason. 
In order rightly to ascertain what insect this really was, we must en- 
deavour to trace it in the country in which it received its name and cha- 
racter. This country was certainly Greece; and there such an animal, 
retaining nearly its own name, and accused of being the cause of the same 
injury to cattle, still exists. or Belon informs us, that on Mount Athos 
there is found a winged insect like the blister-beetle, but yellow, larger, 
and of a very offensive smell, which feeds upon various plants, and is 
called Voupristi by the caloyers or monks, who assert that when horses or 
other cattle even feed upon the herbs which the animals have touched 
they die from inflammation, and that it is an immediate poison to oxen? 
This, therefore, most probably was the Buprestis of the Greek writers ; 
and as Pliny usually compiled from them, it may be regarded as his also, 
which he tells us was a caustic insect, and prepared in the same manner 
as the blister-beetle.’ THe further observes that it was scarce in Italy. 
The Greek insect of Mount Athos M. Latreille supposes to be a Mylabris, 
and in this I agree with him; and, therefore, this is the proper genus to 
which the original Greek Buprestis, the true type of the insect in question, 
ought to be referred, and not Melée. 
Whether this animal be really guilty to the extent of which it is accused, 
admits of considerable doubt; but as I have not the means of ascertaining 
this, I shall leave the question for others who are better informed to 
decide. 
But of all our cattle none are more yaluable and important to us than 
our flocks ; to them we look not only for a principal part of our food, but 
also for clothing and even light. Thick as 1s their coat of wool, it does 
not shield them from the attack of all-subduing insects: on the contrary, 
it affords a comfortable shelter to one of their enemies of this class, 
regarded by Linné as a species of Hippobosca, but properly separated from 
that genus by Latreille under the name of Melophagus.t’ This is com- 
monly called the sheep-louse, and is so tenacious of life, that we are told 
by Ray it will exist in a fleece twelve months after it is shorn, and its 
excrements are said to give a green tinge to the wool very difficult to be 
discharged. You haye doubtless often observed in the heat of the day 
the sheep shaking their heads and striking the ground violently with then 
fore feet ; or running away and getting into ruts, dry dusty spots or gravel 
pits, where crowding together they hold their noses close to the ground. 
The object of all these actions and movements is to keep the gad-fly ap- 
propriated to them (Cs. Ovis) from getting at their nostrils, on the inner 
margin of which they lay their eggs, from whence the maggots make their 
1 Annales du Muséum. — X° Ann. N° xi. p. 129. 
2 Observations de plusieurs Singularités, &c., 1,1, ¢. 45. p. 78. of the edition in Sir 
Joseph Banks’s library. 
5 Hist, Nat, 1, xxix. ¢, 4, 4 Seo Curtis, Brit. Znt, t. 142. 
