TO THE READER. 
-♦- 
The following observations are offered chiefly as an 
endeavour to bring such information as is generally needed 
for farm service, regarding the life-histories and habits of 
the kinds of flies which are most commonly injurious to our 
Farm Stock, up-to-date, in an accessible form for reference. 
As the infestations referred to are’for the most part very 
noticeable, both from their size and from the effects of their 
attacks, specimens have not unfrequently been sent me for 
many years back, together with enquiries and observations 
sometimes embodying notes of such serviceable interest that 
it has seemed desirable to collect the observations (which are 
not very accessible as scattered notes in the original reports), 
and to use them to complete the histories of the pests for 
practical service, together with additions of some observations 
from published works of various leading Continental writers 
on Cattle Fly Infestations, which give points that have not 
hitherto been studied in this country. 
The paper on Warble Fly (Hypoderma bovis ) is condensed 
from information published in my Annual Reports from 1884 
(the year in which we began our investigations) up to date, 
and consists as far as possible of British observation, duly 
acknowledged to the contributors, and arranged in sections, 
which I trust may render reference easy for practical service. 
In some few instances, where it was necessary to enter on 
details of condition, or remedial treatment, which it was 
obviously impossible for me to be personally acquainted with, 
I acknowledge with many thanks the assistance kindly given 
