41 



is subject 1 All these symptoms result from grub in the head, and the animal frequently 

 gets too weak to rise, and finally dies. The grubs cannot live in the head of the sheep 

 without causing great irritation by the spines with which the ventral region is covered, 

 and tin; hooks with which they cling to such a sensitive membrane as that which lines 

 the sinuses. MoreoA^er, when numerous enough to absorb more mucus than the sheep 

 secretes, the grubs will feed on the membrane itself, and (according to the evidence of 

 some practical sheep men) will even enter to the brain, through tlie natural perforation of 

 the ethmoid bone, through which pass the olfactory nerves ; in either of which cases they 

 must cause the most excruciating pain." 



When the larva has reached maturity it descends the nostrils of the sheep and falls to 

 the ground, where it finds a place of shelter amongst the roots of grass, or in the earth, and 

 after contracting to half its former size undergoes the transformation into the pupa state. 

 In this condition it is smooth, hard and tapering towards the head, the colour is black. 

 After remaining quiescent from forty to fifty days, according to the climate, the fly pushes 

 open the little lid or cap piece at the head of the cocoon and emerges in the perfect state. 

 It is curious to note that tnoir only instinct is the perpetuation of their species^ for the 

 perfect fly has no mouth and cannot therefore take' any nourishment. Except when de 

 positing their eggs the flies seem sluggish and inactive. Each female produces several 

 hundreds of young. AVe may mention as a quaint tradition that the larvae of bots found 

 in the heads of sheep and goats used to be prescribed as a remedy for the epilepsy. The 

 ancient Delphic oracle advised one Democritus who applied to it, as follows : 



" Take a tame goat that hath the greatest head. 

 Or else a wilde goat in the field that's bred ; 

 And in his forehead a great worm you'll finde, 

 This cures all diseases of that kinde." 



Whether Democritus was cured does not appear, the story shows however that the 

 ancients were aware that these maggots made their way even into the brain of living 

 animals. 



The common saying that a whimsical person is maggoty, or has got maggots in his head, 

 perhaps arose from the freaks the sheep have been observed to exhibit when infested by 

 these bots. 



Remedies. 



Various methods of prevention have been adopted. Randall says that " some farm- 

 ers turn up the soil in portions of their pasture, so that the sheep may thrust their noses 

 into the soft ground on the approach of the fly, while others smear their noses with tar or 

 cause them to do so themselves." " But,'' adds Mr. Riley, " as the fly is very persevering, 

 and generally attains her object, the means to be depended on the most is, the dislodging 

 of the " grub" or larva and so far lime has been thought to be the most effectual, and 

 should be ojiven them that they may, by sniffing it, cause sneezing, and in many cases 

 dislodge the grub. Some sheep breeders are in the habit of fixing salt logs in their pas- 

 tures of sufficient length to enable all the sheep to get at them. Into these logs at distances 

 of five or six inches, holes are bored with a two inch augur, and during the fly season a 

 little salt is kept in these holes, while every two or three days tar is smeared around them 

 with a brush. The sheep in obtaining the salt smear their noses with the tar, the odour 

 of which keeps away the flies." 



Mr. Yerrill states that " when the larvae have actually entered the nostrils in large 

 numbers, they may be removed to a considerable extent by a feather wet with oil of tur- 

 pentine, camphor, or a weak solution of carbolic acid or creosote. Salt water or diluted 

 carbolic acid may also be injected into the nose with a syringe. It is doubtful, however, 

 whether any remedies will reach the larvae which have taken up their abode in the more 

 remote cavities in the bones of the forehead and beneath the basis of the horns ; therefore 

 it is better to apply these remedies early and often, if necessary." 



Note. — The Council of the Entomological Society of Ontario regret to state that 

 the President, the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, has been prevented, by severe domestic afflic- 

 tion, from completing his portion of the report in time for publication. It Wxil, tUey 

 trust, be embodied in that for the ensuing year. 



