
DIPTERA. 65 
| 
| In order to examine the interior cavity, Réaumur opened some 
if these tumors, either with a razor or a pair of scissors. He 
‘ound it in a most disgusting state. The larva is lodged in a 
legular festering wound, matter occupying the bottom of the 
ayity, and the aed of the worm is continually, or almost con- 
inually, plunged in this liquid. “It is most likely very well off 
here,” says Réaumur, and he adds that this matter appears to be 
he sole food of the larva. 
| “The position of a horned beast,” observes the great naturalist, 
' which has thirty or forty of these bumps on its back, would bea 
ery cruel one, and a terrible state of suffering if his flesh were 
ontinually mangled by thirty or forty large worms. But it is 
robable they cause no suffering, or at least very little, to the 
wge animal.” “ Besides,” continues Réaumur, “those cattle whose 
odies are the most covered with bumps, not only show no signs 
f pain, but Be does not appear that they are prejudicial to them 
jL any way.” 
Réaumur fried to discover how the larva, when arrived at its 
ul growth, succeeds in leaving its abode, as the opening is 
lier than its own body. 
“Nature,” says Réaumur, “has taught this worm the surest, 
ne gentlest, and the most simple of methods, the one to which 
irgeons often have recourse to hold wounds open, or to enlarge 
nem. They press ¢ents into a wound they wish to enlar ge. 
'wo or three days before the worm wishes to come out, it com- 
ences to make use of its posterior part as a tent, to increase 
ie size of the exit from its habitation. It thrusts it into the 
dle and draws it out again many times in the course of two or 
wee days, and the oftener this is repeated, the longer it is able to 
jtain its posterior end in the opening, as the hole Bees larger. 
in the day preceding that on which the worm is to come out, 
€ posterior part is to be found almost continually in the hole. 
t last, it comes out backwards and falls to the ground, when it 
ts under a stone, or buries itself in the turf; remaining quiet 
id preparing for its last transformation. Its skin FERRER 
e rings disappear, and it becomes black. Thenceforth the 
sect is detached from the outer skin, which forms a cocoon or 
x. At the front and upper part of the cocoon is a triangular 
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