These characters and circumstances do not at all agree with the modern Œstrus, which, so far from being a blood-sucker furnished with a strong proboscis, has scarcely any mouth. It shuns also the vicinity of water, to which our cattle generally fly as a refuge from it. It seems more probable that the Œstrus of Greece was related to Bruce's Zimb, represented in his figure with a long proboscis, which makes its appearance in the neighbourhood of rivers, and belongs to the Tabanidæ. For further information the reader should consult Mr. W. S. MacLeay's learned paper on the insect called Oistros and Asilus by the ancients. Linn. Trans. xiv. 353—.
[246] Bruce's Travels, 8vo. ii. 315.
[247] Heb. בעל זבוב literally "Lord-Fly." See 2 Kings, i. 2; and Bochart. Hierozoic. ps. ii. l. 4. c. 9. p. 490.
[248] Burn-Cow or Ox, from βους bos, and πρηθω inflammo. M. Latreille translates it Crève-bœuf, but improperly.
[249] Annales du Muséum.—Xe Ann. No xi. p. 129.
[250] Observations de plusieurs Singularités, &c. l. i. c. 45. p. 73 of the Edition in Sir Joseph Banks's Library.
[251] Hist. Nat. l. xxix. c. 4.
[252] See Curtis, Brit. Ent. t. 142.
[253] Mr. Curtis (Brit. Ent. t. 106) under the name of Œstrus pictus has figured a fine species of Gad-fly taken in the New Forest, which he conjectures may be bred from the Deer. It may probably be one of the species here alluded to.
[254] Reaum. v. 69. Dictionnaire de Trevoux, article Cerf.