266 



I was told that he had had a previous experience of the same kind, bnt less severe, 

 and on that occasion he got rid of the pests withoat any treatment. Cases of this 

 kind are quite frequent in South America, and they are decidedly dangerous. I 

 heard of several Tvell-authenticated instances Tvhere death resulted, the maggots 

 either ^vorking their way out into the brain or eating out through the sides of the 

 cheek. An American physician, practising in Brazil, told me that an injection or 

 rather spray of chloroform was the most effectual cure, though he indorsed my own 

 treatment in the case mentioned above. Slight wounds on animals in the tropics 

 are likely to result disastrously if they are exposed to the attacks of blow- flies. The 

 common preventive and remedy is corrosive sublimate, but I have found carbolic 

 acid better and less painful. 



While on the subject of maggots I may mention the (Estrid, which frequently 

 attacks man in the American trojiics. I believe the life history of this insect, if, 

 indeed, there be only one species, has never been traced. The maggots are first 

 apparent by a little sore resembling a small boil, on any part of the body ; if 

 neglected, the sore enlarges somewhat, but without any extended inflammation; the 

 worst result is generally an intolerable itching. A common and barbarous remedy 

 is to squeeze the maggots out through the small air-opening on the surface. This is 

 diflicult and very painful, as I can attest from personal experience. A better way is 

 to put a drop of strong carbolic acid on the sore and then leave it until the next 

 day when the maggot can be easily squeezed out. Still better is the remedy discov- 

 ered by the Brazilian country people. They tie a bit of fresh pork-fat tightly 

 around the wound: the maggot is thus deprived of air, and in the eft'ort to obtain it, 

 emerges from the skin, burrowing into the pork. — [Herbert H. Smith, Xew York, 

 December, 1892. 



Note. — The "Blow-fly "' was probably Lucilia macellaria. our common '*'Screw- 

 wormFly,"' orsomeallied species, while the Bot-fly was probably De?'»iafo&fa noxiaJis, 

 which has been frequently referred to in the pages of Ixsect Life. — [Eds. 



The Chipping Sparro'w and House Wren as Insect Destroyers. 



I have seeu the Chipping Sparrow hopping from one cabbage plant to another in 

 my garden and deftly picking out of them the green larvye of the Imported Cabbage 

 Butterfly. I believe this common bird to be. a great aid in keeping that great pest 

 to gardeners in check. 



I have also observed the House Wren very skillfully removing tent caterpillars 

 from their webs. This little bird is remarkably industrious iu the extermination of 

 noxious insects. — [J. M. Keck, Ohio. December 12. 1892. 



The Clover Mite in Houses again. 



I have been troubled the past three years with insects. They crawl on the inside 

 of the windows and wall no matter how cold the day is in winter or how hot in 

 summer; if the sun shines they are crawliug about. I have collected a few to 

 send you, and for fear anything should happen to them I will describe them. The 

 young are small, barely visible with the naked eye and are fire red. When fully 

 grown their body is brown, legs red, and are big as quarter the size of head of a pm. 

 Some I killed leave a green stain, some yellow. Their h§iunts seem to be in the plas- 

 ter or rough stone foundation to the house, or where there are rough boards. They 

 are worse in a dry season. I have tried hot water and freezing them, alum, camphor, 

 borax, insect jDowder, red x^epper, turpentine and kerosene, but do not seem to get 

 rid of them, so I write to see if you can give information that will exterminate them. 

 — [Mrs. Eva Bashaw, Minnesota, December 21, 1892. 



Reply. — * * * The creature which you find in your house so abundantly is the 

 common Clover Mite (Bryonia pratensis) a full account of which is given in Tn'Sect 

 Life, vol. iii. pp. 45-52. '^ " " — [December 27, 1892.] 



