Nebraska advertiser., 1858-08-19


ment US by thrusting her bin into the skin
and drawing blood therefrom. But the
maleis incapable of such an act. He can
lap water, and feed upon the nectar of
flowers, and the juices of plants and
leaves; but Is innocent of the charge of
robbing our veins.
The same is true in regard to the Te-
banuG boUinuS, a species Of fly, well
known from the great suffering it occa-
sions to cattle and other quadrupeds, and
even to men, by pursuing them in order
to suck their blood. OF this class of in
sects have only a sucker or sting, with
which to draw blood; and in some coun-
tries their attacks are so furious upon
beasts of burden, that the latter are
sometimes tormented to death.
There are several varieties of the Gu
lex, and it is found in nearly all latitudes
and countries. Some specimens are more
furious and larger than others. The in
habitants Of Lapland, and other northern
climates, suffer especially from these in
sectS, and are sometimes compelled to
resort to grease, smoke and fire in self
defense. In some portions of India, the
natives suffer exceedingly from the bites
Of the muSketo: and accounts of an ex-
traordinary character have recently been
published, relating to the numbers and
intrusive habits of these insects in the
region of Behring's Straits, where the
crew of a British sIoop of war actually
inhaled them by the mouthful, and could
not walk out without q handkerchief or
veil over their faces.
The head is attached to the thorax by
short neck. The eyes are large and
prominent, and occupy nearly the whole
of the anterior part of the head, where
they are immovably fixed like two hemi-
spheres. Each eye is a compound organ
of vision, the corneal surface being divid-
ed into many thousand facets; and from
whatever direction the rays of light may
come, they must fall upon some portion of
the cornea.
The two palpi of the female are shorter
than thsSe of the male, and much stouler.
The antennR of the female are more
slender than those of the male, and are
covered with longer hairs than those of
the male.
The question naturally arises, how does
this creature get access to US in the dark
ness of night? If we adjust our bedding
with the utmost care, but leave uncovered
a small portion of the face for the pur-
pose of breathing, forthwith a musketC
will take up It's station there, and com
mence operations, unless it receives q
death blow at our hands. Like other IN,
sects, doubtless it has an oIfactory appa'
ratus; but how eau this be available IL
guiding the animal from spot to spot, anC
from one object to another, does not ap
pear. And although it Is endowed viii
large visal organs. it is difficult to under
stand how these can be of any use In {
place Of total darkness.
While, therefore, we admire the skill
ful engineering Of the insect, in WinginG
its way hither and thither in the gloom Q
night, with the same precision, apparent
Iy, that marks It's course by day, 1t IS no
easy to determine which Of the senses o
\ faculties it employs to direct Its move
ments toward us IN the circumstance
!. just alluded to-
In addition to the two wings used in 1t
ordinary fight, it has pair of winglet
attached to the thorax, Just behind tn
wings. Each winglct, or alulet, termin
: ates gracefully in a circular diSc-llke ex
pansion, aud, under the microscope, look
! like the instrument used in playing shut
tle-cock. 1t is generally supposed tha
the object Of these winglets is to enabL
; the insect to balance or poiSe itself dlr
/ ectly above the spot where it is about
2 alight.
2 During the past season, musk ketOes haV
g been less numerous in the country tha
: usual, and more abundant in some sec
f tions Of the city of Boston. The fact i:
e .Nafra miaimiS marima est-that is
= the President would excuse a little free
J dom in his interpretation-Nature take
e greater care of the muSketo than of th
}, mastodon; for, while the latter is extinC
a the former survives, and their pauCity {
T. numbers III the country during the pa
n sumner, and their unusual abundance ]
e the city, may be thus explained: the #
h male exercises a truly maternal and pre-
2 vident care for the we'll being Of the III
t mcrous progeny it is her province to rea
II She deposits her eggs en- the surface
e stagnant water, in ponds, swamps, ditche
= pools, sc. She crosses her two hir
7. legs, and as the ova are extguded, 81
}, takes them up very gently and plac,
e them one by one in small, compact, BOZ
/ shaped mass, side by side, in a perpend
r cular position. They adhere firmly t
IS gether and float upon the water. The
e are of an elongated, ovoIdai form, with
g ciIiated vail or covering spread over Il
Il head. In hot weather they are speed
J. transformed into larye, and these larvt
/ or jerkers, as they are usually called, M
! be seen in standing water, in hogshead
} ponds, troughs, cisterns, Sc, during Il
IS spring and summer seasons. and even t
r quite late in autumn. They dart al
/ throw themselves about with great raj
n dity in every direction. and every nc
se and then they rise to the surface OF Il
II water, where they suspend themseIve
/ and remain entirely still for a nome
with the head downward, for the purPo
II of breathing They assume this attitud
ID because at this period of developmel
Is their respiratory apparatus is near Il