I received the first copies of my Forest Fly leaflet late on Saturday and now enclose you a few with great pleasure. Please tell me if more would be acceptable, as you know how gladly I would send them, and you have helped me most importantly. I have only had a moderate impression struck in order that I might be able to alter or add as seemed desirable.
I thought a deal of what I could manage, as the flies came at me and I could watch them, but I did not see my way at all to making a more useful figure than that by Dr. Taschenberg, which tells little. Mine is after the figure by Professor Westwood drawn for the plates of “Insecta Britannica—Diptera,” and these are regular standard reference plates.
July 1, 1895.
We have really captured some of the Hippobosca equina in North Wales. The account will be in next number of the “Veterinary Record.” I have identified them with quite absolute certainty, but I suppose I must not forestall the “Veterinary Record,” as it sent me the flies.
Red maggot attack on a stem of barley; and a saddle, magnified.
FIG. 21.—SADDLE FLY, ? CECIDOMYIA (DIPLOSIS) EQUESTRIS.
July 11 or 12, 1895.
I am very much obliged for your further consignment of the Tabanidæ (Horse gadflies), and especially for the liberal supply of the Great gadfly (fig. [19]). What a very grand fellow he is, and how very painful the attack must be. I have to-day written to Mr. R. H. Meade about this great variety of Gadflies which you are letting me have, and offering to send him duplicates.
Many thanks also for first, and as yet only, note of presence of Hessian fly this season. About these curious markings on the side of the straw—are they not very like those of the maggots, “red maggots,” of the Diplosis equestris, the Cecidomyia or Great midge, mentioned in my thirteenth Report, at p. 30? I think you have this report, and if you chanced to have leisure to compare some specimens with my sketch, you would see what you thought. The workings do not seem to me as regular, but yet there is a strong resemblance.
I am working up the Gadflies as well as time allows, and through courtesy of Mr. Janson have had a loan of a volume published in 1842 of a serial called “Isis” so as to be able to study the very special paper in it by Zeller, which is the authority on some of the important points, and which cannot now be bought by itself. I thought this was a kind help, for the whole book is very costly.