No. 175. | 
801 
eiently matured, thereupon crawl into the ground and complete their 
transformations, whilst those that are immature perish. 
That this fly is a most annoying pest there can be little doubt. A 
sheep will sometimes be observed to suddenly stamp and kick up both 
with its fore and its hind feet, as if stung by some insect, and will 
thereupon suddenly dart off at full speed towards another part of the 
field, as if to escape from its tormentor. But whether this is in con¬ 
sequence of its being assailed by the gad-fly is not certain. But to 
avoid the assaults of this insect the whole flock is often seen crowded 
together upon some bare, dusty or sandy spot, in the pasture, with their 
heads turned inwards towards the center of the group and held close 
down to the ground, one and another continually stamping with their 
feet as if to frighten away their enemy. 
It is obvious that human instrumentality can be of little avail in pro¬ 
tecting the sheep from this scourge. The inner side of the nostril 
being a secreting surface, it is impossible to coat it with tar or any other 
substance to shield it and prevent its being a suitable nidus for the eggs 
of the gad-fly. And to have the sod broken in some dry, dusty part of 
the pasture, and thus aid the animal in those efforts to which its instinct 
prompts it to resort seems about all that can be done for it. 
161. Maggots. —The most deplorable casualties to which this inno¬ 
cent and valuable animal is subject, it may truly be said that it expe¬ 
riences from its insect enemies. In addition to the injuries which we 
have already considered, another still more calamitous and horrible re¬ 
mains to be treated of—that of being infested and consumed by mag¬ 
gots. These disgusting vermin, which rarely riot upon other animals 
until after life is extinct, not unfrequently make their assault upon this 
defenceless creature, as it were, before their time. Whilst it is yet in 
full health and vigor, they form a lodgment upon it, and rapidly multi¬ 
plying, overrun its body, literally devouring it alive. 
These maggots are the larvae of several species of flies. That which 
is the most common one among them, is named by naturalists Lucilia 
Casar. This is about the same size with the common house fly, but 
of a brilliant brassy-green or blue-green color, and the legs black. It 
may always be observed abundant upon the bodies of dead animals 
in the fields in the summer season. And associated with it in such sit¬ 
uations, is another species, Lucilia Cadaverina , which scarcely differs 
from it, except that it is a third smaller, with wings, exhibiting a slight 
degree of duskiness. 
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