Worms in Sheep's Heads.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 4

Worms in Sheep's Heads.

The following is the letter referred to by " Entomologist" in his comments above.— Entomologist Oonteibutoe, Otago Witness,

Sib, — Seeing inquiries made by you re sheep bot, or (Estrus ovis, I herewith send my experience of what I know about the matter. Over 20 years ago I was splitting the head of a sheep, and after I had it opened I noticed something like a very small horn in the opening, and the sheep having very small horns, I thought at first that it was one of the horns become detached and lodged in the opening, but on looking closer I saw it was a grub or maggot, and I became rather uneasy, as I was afraid it was some new trouble that was going to affect the sheep, and might be a serious cause of loss to sheepowners. After that I examined every sheep that I killed for mutton, and I found the grubs in the heads of all I killed at that time. Some of the grubs or laryw were large, with black head or blaok spots" at the head.; others were very small, and were in a jelly in the front of the sheep's head. I never noticed that they' were lying on the brain, but in a cavity between the eyes, with a strong bone partition between cavity and the brain. In the case of horned sheep the cavity continues right through into the middle of the horn, and I have seen horned sheep with the horns and the .cavity filled with the grubs, and apparently they were none the worse. At that time Mr Cumine was ; proprietor of the Horseshoe Bush estate and run, and I mentionedthe matter to him, stating that it was my opinion that every sheep in the district was affected by the -grubs, and he rather laughedat.it; " but,"" said he, "we will kill a sheep this evening for. mutton, and examine it and see what your opinion is worth." So a, fine fat merino wether was killed, and we examined the head, and sure enough we got the grubs as I stated. Ido not think at that time there were any sheep in this district free from the grub in the head/. I killed fine two-tooth crossbred wethers weighing over 601b, and they had the grub in the head, and .it did not seem to injure them. I was drafting sheep some three or four years ago, and a horned wether came in contact with the gate, breaking off one of his horns. It was, however, held by a piece of skin, so I took hold of him and cut the horn off carefully, and I found' it was full of these grubs, but notwithstanding this, the sheep throve well enough. I did not know what was the origin of the grubs. at that 'time, or how they came to be in the sheep's heads, or the

name of them, or anything about them till three or four years after that, when I saw an artiole in one of the newspapers on the subject, and a out of the larva or grub, and then I Baw at once it was the -same as were in the sheep's headahere. I takeagreat interest in these thing?, and do a good' deal of amateur dissection for my own satisfaction. Ido not think the grub is so prevalent in the sheep's heads at the present time as previously. I have not noticed any for some time, but I have found an odd one dead in the sheep's throats just below the root of the tongue when I have been dissecting sheep for other purposes. Mr Reginald Foster stated in the Witness some few weeks ago that he noticed the bot grubs in the sheep's heads many years ago. As I have drawn it rather long, I will .conclude, and if you wish any further information on the subject that I can supply I shall be most happy to give it. For all so much as I have seen of the grub I do not know the fly that oauses it.— l am, &c, Table Hill, Milburn. H. B. Flett.