108 
WARBLES. 
in July; however, it enabled me to send you a perfect sample on a 
small scale. But during the worst part of the Warble-season they 
sometimes cover one-tliird and in some few cases one-half of the entire 
carcase ; the Warble always develops on the top of the animal from the 
shoulder to the tail-head, which spoils the choicest parts of the carcase, 
ruins the best parts of the hide, and makes it worthless when tanned 
for many purposes, namely, for harness, engine-straps, boot-soles, &c. 
The effect on the carcase of the animal afflicted with Warbles in regard 
to colour is, when quite dry after dressing, in some cases a pale yellow, 
in others a light brown, and in some scarce examples dark as 
mahogany.”—J. C. 
In the above communication it will be seen that Mr. Child (though 
only in a few words to each subject) draws attention to several points 
of very practical importance, especially that of the large extent of the 
upper side of the animal which is liable to be covered by Warbles (a 
fact of which I have plenty of proof in my hands in the specimens of 
hides sent me so pierced by Warble-holes, even up to over four hundred 
in number, that no word but “riddled” can convey the perforated 
state); and also Mr. Child notes the great depreciation of the value of 
the warbled hide by reason of the unsoundness making it comparatively 
useless for leather-manufacture. 
The following communication from Mr. C. E. Pearson (wholesale 
butcher), Sheffield, is valuable both from the practical information 
conveyed, and pointing out extent to which Warble-presence unavoid¬ 
ably tells against the health and thriving of the infested animal:— 
“In answer to yours of March 9th, I may say that the effects of 
Warbles on the carcase is more serious than can possibly be imagined 
by an outside appearance of the beast. The beef, as I stated in my 
letter to the ‘Meat Trade’s Journal,’ is most unsightly, but the taste 
of the beef is very bitter* where the Warble has been, and very 
objectionable to the consumer. The carcase of beef assumes a nasty 
yellow colour, and also a soft, flabby appearance on the outside rind of 
the beast (where the Warble has been in operation); so much so, that 
the carcase has to be pared in some cases down to the flesh to 
make the appearance of the animal at all presentable for the market, 
thereby causing a grievous amount of loss to the butcher, and an 
unsightly article to the consumer. I am of course speaking from 
experience, killing on an average twenty beasts or more a week, and 
the loss to me alone in hides last year amounted to something like £3 
per week during the season that Warbles had developed on the hide, 
and no one a gainer. 
“ There are various theories in respect to beasts developing the 
* For further observation on taste and quality of beef from an infested animal, 
see pp. 110, 111. 
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