7 
to another place, it has been found that they are much less 
liable to attack, as the Warble Fly never goes far from its 
birth-place, as it might be called. Mr. J. Milne, Aberdeen¬ 
shire, states that no Ox Bot Fly has been on his farm for ten 
years. His cattle are never seen galloping with tails erect. 
The fly never seems to come from other farms. Purchased 
animals generally had warbles in their hides, but good care 
was taken to get them out by making a small incision with 
a penknife, and pressing them out. 
Where there are few or many Warble Maggots escaped, 
there is a corresponding difference in the amount of attack in 
summer. We had very few warbles on our own cattle this 
spring, as I pressed most of the maggots out the preceding 
year, showing a marked decrease where the Warble Maggots 
have been destroyed ; but yearling bullocks and heifers we 
have had from Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Yorkshire, 
have had numbers on them. 
Mr. Stratton observed that the cattle which he had cleared 
in spring were left in peace, while those not cleared, and in 
different pastures, were fly-tormented. 
The duration of the attack is from one summer to another. 
Mr. J. Milne says the period when the Warble Flies annoy 
the ox, and deposit the eggs in that climate (Aberdeenshire) 
is from the middle of July to the middle of August. Cattle 
in low-lying districts are attacked sooner than those in 
hills. In the former, it may begin as soon as May or June, 
or, if the weather be cold and unfavourable, it will be a little 
later. It all depends on circumstances. 
Cattle seem to possess an instinctive dread of the presence 
of this insect. On June 24th, I saw some heifers galloping 
about a field here with tails stretched out horizontally, and 
necks extended, but whether they were flying from the Gad 
Fly or Warble Fly I could not ascertain. On July 1st, some 
bullocks were running wildly with tails horizontal, others had 
their tails erect, some sideways, and a few had their tails 
curled right over their backs. On August 8th, the cattle were 
suffering very much from fly attack. 
No doubt the laying of the egg extends over several 
weeks. There has been much scientific discussion as to 
whether the egg is laid on the cattle or inserted in the skin. 
