328 Report of the Honorary Consulting Entomologist for 1884. 
correspondents, together with the written reply regarding the 
special points of inquiry, 
I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, assistance in the identifi- 
cation of tropical or other insects with which I was not acquainted, 
always most courteously rendered on application by Professor 
I. O. Westwood, Life President of the Entomological Society, 
and likewise regarding minute injurious Diptera, by Mr. R. H. 
Meade. 
According to the wish of the Society, I have been endeavour- 
ing to gain all the information in my power likely to prove 
useful in lessening the great amount of injury caused by warble 
attack, both to living cattle and also to the hides. I am happy 
to say that so much interest is taken by those practically welJ 
qualified to assist in the investigation, that there is reason to 
hope we shall soon have all the information needed. 
The first appearance of the warble is now beginning. On 
November 13th, Messrs. Hatton, of Hereford, forwarded me a 
piece of newly flayed hide, with the first commencement of the 
swelling showing on the flesh side. A little later, similar spe- 
cimens were sent me removed from the flesh side of a hide sent 
in at Birmingham ; and on December 6th, two were found on 
the flesh side of the hide of a bullock killed the previous day at 
Spring Grove, Isleworth. In these cases the swelling had not 
yet affected the outside of the hide, but on December 4th, I 
heard from Mr. Byrd, Spurstow Hall, Tarporley, Cheshire, that 
on examination of his cattle he found many lumps, though not 
yet large. The first appearance of the warble on the flesh side 
of the newly flayed hide, shows as a small swelling or lump, of 
a blue or leaden colour, about as large as if half a good-sized 
shot were beneath the subcutaneous tissues, this swelling being 
greatly inflamed round. 
Within this swelling the maggot is to be found advanced so 
far that it has already gained a skin beset with patches of minute 
prickles, and likewise the spiracles or breathing spores, which 
show, when the maggot is more developed later on, as two black 
tips lying at the opening of the warble. 
The maggots in the hide sent were of blood colour, from the 
material in which they were feeding, and excessively minute 
and delicate. I was only able to disengage them in portions by 
dissecting under water, and securing the fragments as they 
floated away. The nature of the fragments was in all cases 
perfectly certain by the presence of patches of prickles. 
Above the small swelling (which is clearly distinguishable by 
the bluish centre and inflamed patch) I find a small channel 
running up to the outside of the hide. This is shown by the 
blood running along it from the warble on pressure. I find this 
