OFF 
OFF 
58 7 
O E S 
colour of the food, and shews that the chyle, 
a- they receive it, is not pert’, ctlv pure. 
They attain their full growth about the 
latter end of May, and are conning from the 
horse from this time to the latter end of June, 
or sometimes later. On dropping to the 
ground tiny find out some convenient re- 
treat, and change to the chrysalis; and in 
about six or seven weeks the fly appears. 
Oestrus ovis, or the sheep-gadfly, is so 
named from its larva inhabiting the nostrils 
and frontal sinuses of sheep in particular, 
though it is also found in similar situations 
in deer and some other quadrupeds. It is 
a smaller species than either of the two pre- 
ceding, and is of a whitish-grey colour, with 
the thorax marked by four longitudinal black 
streaks, and the abdomen speckled with 
black. The larva; are nearly as large as 
those of the oestrus equ', and, according to 
the observations of Mr. Clark, are of a deli- 
cate white colour, flat on the under side, and 
convex on the upper; ’having no spines at 
the divisions of the segments, though they 
are provided with tentacula at the small end. 
The other is truncated, -with a prominent ling 
or margin. When young these larva; are 
perfectly white and transparent ; but as 
they increase in size the upper side becomes 
marked with two transverse brown lines on 
each segment, and some spots are seen on 
the sides. i’hey move with considerable 
quickness, holding with their tentacula as a 
fixed point, and drawing up the body to- 
wards them. When full-grown they fall 
through the nostrils, and change to the pupa 
or chrysalis state, lying on the ground, or 
adhering to some blade of grass. The fly 
proceeds from the chrysalis in the space of 
about two months. 
The other British oestri are the oestrus hx- 
morrhoidalis of Linnaeus, whose larva, like 
that of the oestrus equi, resides in the sto- 
machs of horses ; and the oestrus veterinus of 
Mr. Clark, the larva of which is also found 
in similar situations. The oestrus hxmor- 
rhoidalis is about the size of a common win- 
dow-fly, with pale dusky wings, brown tho- 
rax, abdomen white at the base, black in the 
middle, and red at the tip. The oestrus 
veterinus is nearly of similar size with the 
oestrus equi, and is entirely of a ferruginous 
colour, with the abdomen more dusky to- 
wards the tip. The oestrus tarandi inhabits 
Lapland, and deposits its eggs on the back 
of the rein-deer, and is often fatal to them. 
See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 299. 
The other exotic oestri are probably nu- 
merous, but are at present very little known. 
Whether the formidable African fly, de- 
scribed by Mr. Bruce under the name of 
zirnb or tsaltsalya, may be referred to this 
genus or not, we shall not pretend to deter- 
mine ; there are however some particulars 
in its history which would lead one to sup- 
pose it an oestrus. 
“ This insect,” says Mr. Bruce, “ is a proof 
how fallacious it is to judge by appearances. 
If we consider its small size, its weakness, 
want of variety or beauty, nothing in the 
creation is more contemptible and insignifi- 
cant. Yet passing from these to his history, 
and to the account of his powers, we must 
confess the very great injustice we do him 
from want of consideration. We are obliged, 
with the greatest surprise, to acknowledge, 
• (hat those huge animals the elephant, the rhi- 
noceros, the lion, and the tiger, inhabiting the 
same woods, are still vastly his inferiors ; and 
that the appearance of this small insect, nay, 
his very sound, though he is not seen, oc- 
casions more trepidation, movement, and 
disorder, both in the human and brute cre- 
ation, than would whole herds of these mon- 
strous animals collected together, though 
their number was in a tenlold proportion 
greater than it really is. 
“ 1 his insect is called zimb; it has not 
been described by any naturalist. It is in 
size very little larger than a bee, and his 
wings, which are broader than those of a bee, 
placed separate, like those of a fly. As soon 
as this plague appears, and their buzzing is 
heard, all t he cattle forsake their food, and 
run wildly about the plain, till they die, worn 
out with fatigue, fright, and hunger. No 
remedy remains for the residents on such 
spots but to leave the black earth, and hasten 
down to the sands of Atbara, and there they 
remain while the- rains last, this cruel enemy 
never daring to pursue them farther. 
“ What enables the shepherd to perform 
the long and toilsome journeys across Africa 
is the earned, emphatically called the ship ot 
the desert. r ] hough his size is immense, 
as is his strength, and his body covered with 
a thick skin, defended with strong hair, yet 
still he is not capable to sustain the violent 
punctures the fly makes with his proboscis, 
fie must lose no time in removing to the 
sands of Atbara; for when once attacked by 
this ily, his body, head, and legs, break out 
into large bosses, which swell, break, and 
putrify, to the certain destruction of the 
creature. Even the elephant and rhinoceros, 
who, by reason of their enormous bulk, and 
tiie vast quantity of food and water they daily 
need, cannot shift to desert and dry places as 
the season may require, are obliged to roll 
themselves in mud and mire, which, when 
dry, coats them over like armour, and enables 
them to stand their ground against this 
winged assassin ; yet 1 have found some of 
these tubercles upon almost every elephant 
and rhinocerosthat I have seen, and attri- 
bute them to this cause.” There are twelve 
species of this insect. 
OFFENCE, is any act committed against 
any law. Offences are either capital or 
not capital. Capital offences are those 
for which an offender shall lose his life ; not 
capital, where the offender may lose his lands 
and goods, be fined, or suffer corporal pu- 
nishment, or both, but not loss of life. High 
treason, petit treason, and felony, constitute 
capital offences; other offences, not capital, 
include the remaining part of criminal of- 
fences or pleas of the crown, and come under 
the denomination of misdemeanors. 
OFFERINGS. Oblations and offerings 
partake of the nature of tithes ; and all per- 
sons which, by the laws of this realm, ought 
to pay their offerings, shall yearly pay to the 
parson, vicar, proprietary, or their deputies, 
or farmers of the parishes where they dwell, 
at such four offering days as heretofore with- 
in the space of four years last past have been 
accustomed ; and in default thereof, shall pay 
for the said offerings at Easter following. 2 
and 3 Ed. \ 1. c. i 3. 
OFFICE, is that function, by virtue where- 
of a person lias some employment in the at 
fairs of another. An office is a right to exer- 
cise finy public or private employment, arid 
to take”the fees and emoluments thereunto 
belonging, whether public as those of magis- 
trates, or" private as oi bailiffs, receivers, Ac. 
1 he statute 5 and 6 Edward VI. c. Kb 
declares ail securities given for the sale of 
offices unlawful. And if any person shall 
bargainor sell, or take any reward, or pro- 
mise of reward, for any office, or tne depu- 
tation of anv office, concerning the revenue, 
or the keepers of the kings castles, or the 
administration and execution of justice, unless 
it is such an office as had been usually grant- 
ed by the justices of the king s bench or com- 
mon pleas, or by justices of assize, every such 
person shall not only forfeit his light to such 
office, or to tire nomination thereof, but the 
person giving such reward, Ac. shall be dis- 
abled to hold such office. But it has been de- 
cided, that where an office is within the statute, 
and the salary certain, if the principal makes 
a deputy, reserving by bond a less sum out 
of the salary, it is good ; or, if the profits are- 
uncertain, reserving a part as halt the profits, 
it is good ; lor the Ices still belong to the 
principal, in whose name they must be sued 
for. .yalk. 466. But where a person so 
appointed, gives a bond to the principal to 
pay him a sum certain, without reference to 
the profits; this is void under the statute. 
Salk. 463. 
To offer money to any officer of state, to» 
procure the reversion ot an office in the gilt 
of the crown, is a misdemeanor at common, 
law, and punishable by information ; and 
even the attempt to induce him under the 
influence of a bribe, is criminal, though never 
carried into execution. Any contract to 
procure the nomination to an office, not with- 
in thestat. 6 Ed. VI. is defective on the ground- 
of public policy, and the money agreed to 
be given is not recoverable. 
Office, in the canon-law, is used for a 
benefice that lias no jurisdiction annexed to 1 
it. It is also used for divine service cele- 
brated in public; and in the Romish church 
it is applied to a particular prayer preferred 
in honour of some saint; thus, when any 
saint is canonized, a particular office is at the 
same time assigned him, out of the common 
office of the confessors, the Virgin, &c. We 
say the office of the Holy Spirit, of the Virgin*, 
of 'the passion, of the holy sacrament, of the 
dead, Ac. ' 
OFFICER, a person possessed of a post 
or office. See the preceding article. The 
great officers of the crown, or state, are the 
lord high steward, the lord high chancellor, 
the lord high treasurer, the lord presidents 
of the council, the lord privy seal, the lord 
chamberlain, the lord high constable, the 
earl marshal ; each ot which see under its 
proper article. 
Officers, commission , are those appoint- 
ed by tlie king’s commission ; such are all 
from’the general to the cornet inclusive, who 
are thus denominated in contradistinction to 
warrant-officers, who are appointed by the 
colonel’s or captain’s warrant, .as,quarter--mas- 
ters, serjeants, corporals, and even chaplains 
and surgeons. 
Officers, general, are those whose com- 
mand is not limited to a single company, 
troop, or. regiment; but extends to a body 
of forces, composed of several regiments ; 
such are the general, lieutenant general,, 
major-generals, and brigadiers. 
