170 THE BLOOD-SUCKING OSCINIS. 
to the hive; it has received the very appropriate name of ‘‘bee- 
killer.’ Their reputation of being tormenters of warm- 
blooded animals is badly founded, however; at least the 
writer has never observed them sucking blood. If kept be- 
tween the fingers these flies are not slow to inflict a very 
severe bite. But other flies, for instance the members of the 
family Bombylidw, small and very hairy insects with bright 
colors, do the same thing, and will not permit themselves to 
be handled with impunity. 
There are a number of very small flies that sometimes at- 
tack man and domesticated animals, and which notwith- 
standing their small size, can cause considerable irritation. 
and inflict no little pain. : 
THE BLOOD-SUCKING OSCINIS. 
( Oscinis pallipes Loew). 
This minute fly, illustrated in fig. 141, is a polished black 
insect, with yellow face and legs. It is small, as can be seen 
by the hair-line in the illustration, which gives the natural 
size of the insect with expanded wings. During June, July 
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Fig. 141.—Blood-sucking Oscinis. Greatly enlarged. Original. 
and August this fly is exceedingly abundant in some places, 
and large numbers of them attack such animals as horses, 
cattle and dogs. They are very quick in all their actions, 
and can not be readily driven off, always returning and try- 
