1, Male; 2, curved extremity of abdomen of female; 3, maggot; 4, mouth hooks; 5, spiracles at extremity of tail of maggot—all greatly magnified (after Brauer).
| Eggs attached to hairs from a horse’s fore-leg magnified and natural size. (After Bracy Clark.) | Maggots or horse bots attached to the membrane of stomach (After Bracy Clark.) |
FIG. 10.—HORSE BOT FLY, OR HORSE BEE, GASTROPHILUS EQUI, FAB.
On May 14, 1900, she addressed another correspondent thus:—
“I have another formal application from the authorities of S. Australia;—(this time from our friend Mr. Molineux) relative to Horse botfly—and very especially to make them sure regarding the precise differences between Bot, Warble, and Gad flies. I have explained that Gad flies, Tabanidæ, may be distinguished by being blood suckers, and by their maggots feeding in the ground, and that ‘Bot’ or ‘Warble’ are only two convertible names for Œstridæ, but that ‘Bot’ is usually most specially applied to internal feeding maggots, and Warble to those that live in the hide, notably in Warbles. But such difficulty continues to arise from haphazard use of the words, I have suggested that if possible the scientific name—(Gastrophilus equi) should be insisted on. An entomologist (?) had absolutely called this attack or kind of attack inside a horse that of ‘Gad fly’! But as the attack has been well studied in the Department of Agriculture, Cape Town, I have suggested they should communicate with the Government entomologist, Mr. C. Lownsbury. For their practical needs, I have suggested clearing the Horse botfly, G. equi, eggs from the hair by dressing, and very especially that they should take care all droppings (in which the maggots pass from the horse, and where, or in the ground beneath, they go through their changes to the perfect state) should be so treated as to kill the maggots. It may possibly turn out that the Gastrophilus may be some other species than equi—I have not had specimens. When you are about to devote so much attention to Colonial Agriculture [in the “Garton” course of Colonial and Indian Lectures], I wished very much to tell you what I am about, lest I should, as this is sent me officially, go on other lines than you approve.”]
June 9, 1891.[[57]]
Dear Mr. Bailey,—I have now much pleasure in asking permission once again to place in your hands a cheque for £5 5s., to be used exactly as you may judge fit, in purchase of prizes for the encouragement of serviceable study of habits and means of prevention of ravages of injurious insects by your scholars. I have real pleasure in doing this because I believe the importance of those who are in any way connected with agriculture being serviceably acquainted with the causes of loss to crop or stock, and means whereby this may be lessened, cannot be over-estimated. I offer my hearty congratulations to yourself and your pupils on the satisfactory work achieved in my own department of agricultural entomology in one more year.
I do not like to offer views of my own on these matters now that what is called Technical Instruction is receiving such widespread attention throughout the country. Still I should like, for the encouragement of any of your boys who may think themselves behind in the simply scientific race, to observe that instructions given (let them be conveyed in what terms the teacher will) must be founded to start with, on facts, trustworthily observed and trustworthily recorded; and the pupil who leaves your school with the knowledge of the appearance of the common crop pests, as the wireworm, the turnip flea beetle, the warble fly maggot for instance, and, as I am well aware is the case with many of your boys, adds to this a practical knowledge of how to lessen their powers of mischief, goes forth holding in his mind what will save him many a pound in the future, and be a benefit wherever he goes. It is a foundation on which as much as he pleases may be built, but the solidly learnt field knowledge will always be serviceable.