214 
A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS. 
chapters on internal parasites. In others the suitable region is the 
subcutaneous tissues of the selected animal. Warbles or swellings 
due to the invasion of the subcutaneous tissues by the larvae of one 
or more of the family oestridae (gad-flies) are very common in 
elephants in various parts of the province from the Chindwin to 
Tenasserim. As a rule they are numerous, but in some cases in 
the Meza forests mentioned by Mr. Petley of Messrs. Steel Brothers, 
the infestation was remarkable. He describes it as follows : — 
''The elephants from which these ' bots ' were taken literally 
swarm with swellings in all parts— head, ears and body. The scars 
of recent eruptions are in some parts of the body so closely pitted 
as to impart to the skin a honeycomb appearance, showing that 
thousands of the parasites have burrowed out during the last few 
months. Curiously enough, only the elephants brought from India 
last year are affected, and no doubt their general unhealthy appear- 
ance is due to the presence of myriads of ' bots ' beneath the skin. 
In the elephants from which the specimens were taken the numbers 
were almost incredible." 
How the larvse reach the subcutaneous tissues has not yet been 
rightly explained. Many theories have been advanced, but the 
more common one would seem to favour the idea that the egg is 
deposited directly on the skin and the larva in the initial stage of its 
development gains inlet either by the hair follicles or sebaceous 
glands to its resting place. 
Symptoms. — Swellings, so-called boils or warbles, of varying 
size. When the larvae are well developed towards the end of April 
and May (most commonly here) they produce inflammation and sup- 
puration about them producing the so-called warbles. When the 
larvae are ripe they quit their abodes, usually stern first, after 
widening the openings. 
Treatment. — When the nature of the swellings is recognized a 
little pressure applied to them will materially assist in setting the 
larvae free. The abscesses should be treated in the ordinary 
manner. The larva of this fly is about \ inch long and consists of 
some nine segments. The larvae should be destroyed. 
The Hippoboscid^ — Spider-flies. 
These well-known insects may occasionally be observed on 
elephants. They probably come off cattle or ponies, on which 
animals they may be found frequently about the smooth parts of the 
body, i^e., between the thighs, around the arms and on the perinaeum. 
They are flat, have a broad body which is leathery especially the 
