Daily national Democrat., 1859-01-19
A wOxDrRruL ExnrprrroS. washing

a "ONDEhFOL EXHlBITIoN.-Ihe ashing-
ton correspondent of the Union says:
SgnOr Bartoletti is now exhibiting his in
dustrious and educated feas at 500 Broad
way. The well ascertained fact that a null
ga will draw two hundred thousand times
Its own weight, suggests the question wheth-
er-California being an extensive fiea.pro.
ducing countryside active little villains"
might not be proftably employed in the
gold diggings. The fact that they must have
blood, and nothing else for making food, set
ties that question in the negative, besides
their gold chains would cost so much. Well.
the Professors exhibition is certainly anus.
ing and wonderful. Imagine some thirty or
forty full grown heas, chained by silver and
gold collars to all sorts of eontrivances, dra W.
ing little steamboats,, carts, drays, omnibuses,
railroad trains and plows; turning windmills
and working at treadmills Instead of the
whip the Professor uses small pair of nip
pers at the clipping noise of which the lit
tie insects commence their various occupa-
tions The sly little rogue who works the
treadmill dare not stop while his masters eve
is upon him, but the moment he turns his
back he ceases labor, but resumes again at
the well known "clip" sound of the pincers.
Two Of the fleas. chained opposite each other,
little silver cords longer than themselves.-
Rotary swings. flying horses. merry gorounds,
DC, are also set in motion by flea power, and
another scene represents an Italian landscape,
with an open air musical and ballet perform
ance. The flea orchestra is seated in little
balcony the leader waving his batan Ia
NuSard, while, on platform beneath, a
party indulge in a kind of waltz or polka
The manner of claiming or collaring the feas
is shown through little microscope glasses,
which magnify five hundred times Perhaps
some of your readers, with the idea of get.
ting up flea company, might wish to hear
the Professors method of instruction for his
little flea college, whi'h is stationed at one
of his counter: The first thing the Professor
does is to catch the flea and imprison it in a
small box, with two glass windows through
which the little prisoner tries in vain to ee
cape. He is taken out daily to be fed, by
being placed on the Professors hand glass
case or tumbler being placed over him to pre-.
vent his flight. In the fourth or fifth week
the flea gives up struggling, and resigns him
self to Imprisonment. He is then taken out,
fastened to a little wire, and left upon min
ature wharf, by a miniature river. For
some four or five weeks he remains obstin-
ately torpid, only exhibiting vitality when
feeding time comes; at the end of this period
he is attached to little vessel or car, and,
by an occasional twinge from the pincers,
and the Untiring efforts of the Professor, is
soon taught the way he should Co. and be-
comes thenceforth a we'll ordered and indus
trious flea. Prof Bartoletti commenced his
experiments some ten years ago. and has ex-
hibited his little pets before Queen Victoria
Louis Napoleon, and other European poten =
tates. The average duration of working
flea's life is two years, though he has one pa
triarch who has attained the venerable age
of two years and nine months-a remarkable
instance of longevity in a pulga Every
night the flea operatives are released from
their harness IAN operation which requires
great care) and fed, by being allowed to
gorge themselves with blood from the Pro-
fessor's naked arm. Although these perform.
ers are so minute rs to require some of their
feats to be witnessed through the magnifier,
yet the Professor, to encourage the nervous,
puts the following gratifying intelligence at
the bottom of his programme: "Visitors may
be assured that the animals are well secured
so that no danger of an attack need be ap-
pretended"