OX WARBLE FLY. 
123 
calculations of loss thereon, will give some idea of the loss and waste 
of material that is going on, but very far from a full one. The returns 
show depreciation of market value, but it should also be considered 
(as pointed out by Messrs. Ramsey, of Glasgow, and Mr. Hill, Manager 
of the Sheffield Butchers’ Company) that this loss is quite independent 
of the subsequent waste of money consequent on the expenses of 
manufacture of damaged material, which, when finished, may be 
useless for the purposes needed. 
Messrs. Ramsey’s approximate estimate of this gives about double 
the original loss on the injured hides as the amount thus wasted to 
the community,—that is, to the national wealth. 
But further, although the bulk of the English hides are distributed 
from the Hide-markets to the Tanneries, there is still no small 
amount received directly by tanners, from local farmers or butchers. 
On my application to Messrs. C. & H. Hatton, of the Barton 
Tannery, Hereford, as to their estimate of the loss suffered by them¬ 
selves from Warble injury, they drew my attention to this point, and 
added:— 
“We venture to think it would be sufficient to state that one-half 
of the hides taken in by tanners direct from the butchers are warbled, 
and show an average loss of 5s. to 6s. each : this would, of course, 
show a rough estimate of some thousands of pounds in the United 
Kingdom, independently of the numbers declared from the markets, 
and we regret to say that many hides which are classed as perfect on 
the market prove to be covered with minute Warble-grubs when the 
flesh and hair are removed by the tanner.” 
The reason of the high estimate of loss on local hides is obvious, 
as it includes those of animals which have died from various causes, 
amongst which in spring there is a coincidence of such great amount 
of Warble presence as to point to this being often the real cause of 
death. 
From Hereford Messrs. Hatton have sent me reports of the horrible 
state of Warble infestation in hides brought in of cattle stated to have 
died of “ black-leg,” but which they considered to have died from 
Warble attack. On one occasion five of these hides were brought to 
them in four or five days, all stated to have died of “ black-leg ” or 
“ quarter evil,” and all similarly warbled. One piece of hide sent 
me as an example, measuring 28 inches long by about 8 inches wide, 
contained 72 Warbles. 
From Mr. W. Williams (tanner), of Haverfordwest, I have recently 
heard (when writing regarding distribution of leaflets):— 
“ I should make a point of giving a copy to each farmer when 
paying him for his dead hides, of which great numbers come in every 
spring with their backs in a mass of jelly from Warbles. I have 
