Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/440

418 eight of their nests were ploughed up in one field: of which there were several instances, as I was informed.

In the spring, about the beginning of April, a single wasp is sometimes seen, which is of a larger size than usual; this I imagine is the queen or female wasp, the mother of the future swarm.—.

OESTRUS CURVICAUDA. This insect lays its nits or eggs on horses' legs, flanks, etc., each on a single hair. The maggots, when hatched, do not enter the horses' skins, but fall to the ground. It seems to abound most in moist, moorish places, though sometimes seen in the uplands.—.

About the beginning of July, a species of fly (musca] obtains, which proves very tormenting to horses, trying still to enter their nostrils and ears, and actually laying their eggs in the latter of those organs, or perhaps in both. When these abound, horses in woodland districts become very impatient at their work, continually tossing their heads, and rubbing their noses on each other, regardless of the driver, so that accidents often ensue. In the heat of the day, men are often obliged to desist from ploughing. Saddle-horses are also very troublesome at such seasons. Country people call this insect the nose-fly.—. Is not this insect the Oestrus nasalis of Linnæus, so well described by Mr. Clark in the third volume of the "Linnæan Transactions," under the name of Oestrus veterinus?—.

ICHNEUMON FLY. I saw lately a small ichneumon fly attack a spider much larger than itself on a grass walk. When the spider made any resistance, the ichneumon applied her tail to him, and stung him with great vehemence, so that he soon became dead and motionless. The