106 
WARBLE FLY. 
Tlie worm must therefore have excellent feeding ground, and it lives 
and thrives, taxing doubtless the strength of the animal upon which 
it preys, but not in the majority of cases destroying its life. 
Cattle at the age of one or two years are most subject to attack.”— 
John Dalton, Wigton, Cumberland. 
“Young (yearling and two-year-old) beasts are most subject to 
attack [of warbles], and shorthorns more so than the thicker-skinned 
Welsh or Scotch breeds ; the hide of a Welsh ‘ runt ’ is quite twice as 
thick as that of a shorthorn bullock.”—E. A. Fitch, Brick House, 
Maldon, Essex. 
“ This year (1883) seems to be an exceptional one as regards these 
flies, as I cannot- remember another in which so few have been about, 
and for so short a time. 
“ My reasons for thinking that dirty farming contributes to the 
evil are these : I find almost every bull-hide warbled, and nearly all 
cows—particularly old cows—which, judging by the hide, have been badly 
fed and kept, and the young oxen and heifers, which have a better keep 
and better groomed appearance, are almost all free, or nearly so, from 
warbles at all times. I notice that nearly all kips (that is, hides off 
yearling cattle) that have died a natural death are covered with 
warbles. Are deaths of these almost calves to be attributed to the fact 
that the irritation they cause exhausts nature ? ”—H. C. Haines, New¬ 
port, Mon. 
Extract from Letter to Editor of ‘ Leather Trades’ Circular and 
Review,’ May 8tli, 1878.—“ Some say they find them [warbles] worst 
in poor cattle; others again entertain the absurd idea that cattle are 
in the best healthy condition when they have warbles.' They are 
worst upon young cattle, if they strike, as they often do, when they 
are stirks six or eight months old. The infliction takes greater effect 
upon a young growing animal than upon one that is older and fuller 
in condition. 
“ And ivhy are bulls so very subject to them? Because they are 
often fastened, and have no means of clearing themselves of the Fly 
when grazing, and in winter tied up without any attention paid to the 
state of their backs.”—W. H. Liddell, Leather Market, Bermondsey, 
London, May 7th, 1878. 
(The following observation regards amount of development of 
warbles varying in cattle which have been differently treated after 
being to all appearance exposed first to exactly the same amount of 
attack. This point and the cause is worth investigation.— Ed.) 
“ Take half of a number of bullocks that have grazed together 
through the summer, and tie them in stalls in October or November 
for fattening, and leave the other half out in an open yard as stores, 
and you will find in January and February that not a single hot is to 
