Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-08-09

Something about Flies.
The inquiry is often heard in the autl

Something about Flies.
The inquiry is often heard in the autumn,
WHAT BECOMES OF ALL THE FLIES!
On this question, the author of Sc Episodes
of Insect Life makes the following remarks !:
1t still remains, we believe, a problem
not yet completely solved even by the natural
lists who have maintained opinions on the mat
ter nearly as different as on thehybernation of
swallows. A great portion no doubt perish
from cold, or the many accidents to which
their weakness and growing topper render
them as the year declines, more and more ex-
posed Yet how few comparatively of the
swarms, SO agile head downwards on the cell
ing, do we ever perceive, or our house-maids
either, stiff and stark, legs upwards on the
foor' That fly survivors there are, laid up
snugly in secret hybernacula, is further EVIL
denced by the few which are often seen emerg-
ing from nobody knows where in mild winter
weather, also by those more lonely bodies
tempted by the warmth of the FIRE to creep
forth even in nipping FROST"
USES OF FLIES.
What are flies made fort is a question
which is often asked, and sometimes petulant-
ly, at this season of the year. Nor is it a diff
fcut problem to solve. Their use, in the
economy of nature, is to help rid the earth of
all that offend to carry off the putrid animal
and vegetable matter that abounds in warm
weather. They are minute but effectual scav-
engers,-a hard-working sanitary commission,
An unofficial board of health. They COM
mence the duties of their office in their wing
less or maggot state, and attend daily to their
duties-except during the brief chrysalis in
terregnum, until the frosts of autumn lay
them lifeless upon their backs, or drive them
to their secret winter abodes. II, then, good
reader, they occasionally annoy you, in the
discharge of their duties, bear with them pa
tientIy, for the good they do; and if they
sometimes intrude upon your tables, and make
themselves free with your choice dishes, why,
then keep cool, provide yourself with few
WIG ulSn-COtCLSy duu OC -
time " does not last all the year round.
INFLUENCE OF FLIES ON CLIMATE.
1t would probably startle some of our read
ers, were they to be told that this apparently
insignificant class of insects are exerting
perceptible influence on the climate of this
continent, and preparing its vast, untrodden
wilds for the coming millions that are there
to find their homes. And yet perhaps this is
not stating the facts in the case in too strong
terms. The wild animals of those regions, 1t
is wen known, are tormented by flies, in the
warm season and whenever the forests hap
pen to be on fire, they instinctively rush to the
smoke, where they are secure from the as
saults of their tormentors. The Indians, OBJ
serving these movements, have discovered that
instead of being obliged to trail for game.
they have only to set fire TO the forests, and
the flies will do the hunting for them. Mil
lions of acres have thus been burnt over and
according to high scientific authority, the ef-
feet upon the climate of North America is al
ready perceptible. In these CONGREGATIONS,
the small game of the woods, and also the
young Of the larger game, perish indiscrimi-
nately, and the Indians, like a man who is
eating up both the interest and principal of his
patrimony, are every year reducing themselves
to greater straits. In short, two great opera
tions are going on simultaneously FIRST, the
destruction of the forests, which is assimilat-
ing the climate TO that of Europe; and Sec
ondly, the extinction of the Indian tribes, who
are thus unwittingly clearing and preparing
their country for the reception of another
race. And all this is the ultimate effect of
flies
Having given this proof of the potent infu-
ence exerted by these insects on terra firma,
we will close these articles by relating an in
cident illustrating the
INFLUENCE OF FLIES ON NAVIGATION.
On certain occasion, as one of Uncle
Sans big ships was approaching Malta with
nine-knot breeze, the commodore suddenly
appeared upon deck, and gave orders to trace
the yards sharp, and lay her close to the wind.
After the slight confusion incident 10 the ex-
ecution Of this order had subsidized, the commo-
dore produced his chart, and showed the Of
fcers that had they continued their course
twenty minutes longer, they would have been
upon a rock there laid down, and the more
dangerous because of its position directly in
the track of vessels bound from the Levant to
Malta. The next morning there was gale
from the northward and eastward, which last
ed for several days, and blew them so far from
their course, that they were three weeks in
beating to windward. However, they finally
reached Malta, having suffered no other incon-
venience than from short supply OF water
Upon stating their narrow escape to REFER
fthe Medora, seventy-four, they were ridi-
culed exceedingly, and the existence OF { the
rock denied. The chart, one of Blunt's. was