WASPS, OESTRUS CURVICAUDA, NOSE FLY. 289 
its Danish camp, there haunts a species of wild bee, making its 
nest in the chalky soil. When people approach the place, these 
insects begin to be alarmed, and, with a sharp and hostile sound, 
dash and strike round the heads and faces of intruders. I have 
often been interrupted myself while contemplating the grandeur 
of the scenery around me, and have thought myself in danger of 
being stung. 
WASPS. 
Wasps abound in woody wild districts far from neighbour- 
hoods ; they feed on flowers, and catch flies and caterpillars to 
carry to their young. Wasps make their nests with the raspings 
of sound timber ; hornets, with what they gnaw from decayed : 
these particles of wood are kneaded up with a mixture of saliva 
from their bodies, and moulded into combs. 
When there is no fruit in the gardens, wasps eat flies, and 
suck the honey from flowers, from ivy blossoms, and umbellated 
plants : they carry off* also flesh from butchers' shambles.* 
OESTRUS CURVICAUDA. 
This insect lays its nits or eggs on horses' legs, flanks, &c. 
feach on a single hair. The maggots when hatched do not enter 
the horses' skins, but fall to the ground. It seems to abound 
most in moist, moorish places, though sometimes seen in the 
uplands. 
NOSE FLY. 
About the beginning of July, a species of fly (musca) obtains, 
which proves very tormenting to horses, trying still to enter 
their nostrils and ears, and actually laying their eggs in the latter 
of those organs, or perhaps in both. When these abound, 
horses in woodland districts become very impatient at their 
work, continually tossing their heads, and rubbing their noses 
on each other, regardless of the driver, so that accidents often 
* In the year 1775 wasps abounded so prodigiously in this neighbourhood, that, in the mouth 
of August, no less than seven or eight of their nests were ploughed up in one field, of which 
there were several instances, as I was informed. 
In the spring, about the beginning of April, a single wasp is sometimes seen, which is of a 
larger size than usual ; this I imagine is the queen or female wasp, ^the mother of the future 
swarm.* — MaRkwick, 
* Great numbers of these are devoured by the fiusher shrike [Xanius coJiMm).— Ed, 
u 
