The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-04-19
lFor the Herald
Talks to the Little Folks about Insects.
No. 2-THE MUSQUITO.


words, which signify two-winged, from the
fact that he has only pair, while the other
orders Of hving in>ects have more than TWO.
But in his flisht through the air, as a ship
on the wave, he requires ballast to regulate
his action. The wise Architect has therefore
furnished him with balances to steady his
movements, and give him easy, grac full and
rapid flight. No maiden Can boast form
mne beautifully symm, tr.cal or exquii.ely
delicate. His body is slender, his limbs long
and slight, with small head. The result of
this organization being light and fairy-like
form.
The m1squito ahounds everywhere. Wher-
ever VIC turn, this insect ma be seen fling
and p:unde,ing; in fields, woods aud Dwell.
inss, AMI always an unwelcome intruder
He unceremoniousI.7 thrusts himself into our
private apartments.
Cup stairs and down s'airs, in the ladies
chambet." He is no rcspecter of persons,
but Attacks indiscriminately man and beast.
The little babe is oftea seen covered over
with the marks of his savage attacks He is a
creature of song and goes singing to his bloody
work, like Nero who fddled while Rome
was burning. have seen legion Of these
winged sayaEes pounce upon horse and
torment him almost to death. That a crea
ture so beautiful, with wings Of such cxqui-
site wo kman>h:p, and eyes so brilliant, in
8 'me varis. es a. green as an emerald, in oih>
ers as red as sapphire, should possess such
savage propen>itieS, NAV seem very strange
But this only shows that beauty of form and
face NAV cocI;St with a very bad heart; and
that prepoSseS>ing appearance does not al
ways wal rant US in concluding that the ma
tu:e is as comely as the face. The girl with
the pret;est exterior may not possess the
sweetest temper, but with all her radiant
beauty and sprish,Iiuess, may he spiteiu end
quar-e'some, the plague Of the household and
the scbool-room. The angelic lo,einc5s AMI
SerapLic beauty Of the Egyptian Queen, l.
ed the disgrace and ru:a Of Anthony, one Of
the greatest Of Roman generals. Temptation
often approaches, ar:ayed in vermiion aud
gold, with timbrel and \ song. Lnok ou.
boys and girls or it will "bi You as q SER
ncns and sting you as an adder" If YOU
will clio ely watch the mu.qlitD in the operas
fion Of pune uring the skim, you will ob<e, vc
long tube projecting f:om a point below
his large, network eyes. This is the case
which contains the instruments for piercing
Like surgeon he carries his surg Cal hox,
but handling the knives more scientifically
and successfully than many surgeons do.
There are six Of these instruments, closely
'ined, forming bunch Of s;ings One is
like sworl, with saw liF" edge, another
the shape of spear, aroliier of lancer, &c,
the whole together forming miniature
b:oadS~ord. The poiut is so very fne that
it would not cause pain perhaps, bat for q
subtle poison resembling water, VIII ,ch ar
companies the puncture. Though the mus
quito IS in the form Of 4 winged insect, dams
cling Lightly N the atmosphere, yet il is in
water. particularly in sfa:c:nant pools. that he
and float upon the surface in closely pack ed
layers, resembling, when viewed through a
microscope, clusters of enfield rife balls,
placed pcrpendcularly one against tho o'hcr
For, strange 10 say, they are oblon@, aud
sharp pointed at one cad. When ha.cLcd.
which is in very short time arer The egg
arc laid, they appear N The water like little
ha' ! worms. very quick ia their movements
coming up to the surface AMI then rapidly
descending, particularly if disturbed by
noise. Ifyou watch these wisgIe-:al<, as
you call them, in tHb or barrel Of wa ,er,
you will notice that lhe,v come up from The
bottom head-ioremosr. but upon reaching
the top they ,urn sorzaf half spmme sci,
placing their tails where their heads lad
been. Now they come 10 The surface 10
breathe, for they can't live long without ar
But they don't breathe through their mou:hs
but through 4 small tube or pipe at The other
extremity Of the body. Hence they are
obliged 10 hold their heads down. By the
side Of this breathing pipe there is shorter
one, which is the termiuai>digeStiye tube
vegetable matter found in water. Thi, food
they sweep into their mouths by means Of
two tufts Of hair like brushes, which grow
on the cx. x.renities Of two stiff hairs or han
dies at the sd4s Of the mouth, moving them
rapidly back and forth. They shed their
skin three times in ten or fifteen days, and a;
the fourth time their entire form is changed
The insect now looses his breathing pi;,e at
the tail. and in its stead two tubes make their
appearance ut the head, like doukey's e. rs
He is now getting ready TO exchange the
watery for the aerial element, to emerge from
his liquid grave into the atmosphere, beau>
t;ful JOYOUS creature. Let Us watch his re-
su,rection-,his strange and wonderful meta
morphosis. See him on the surface of the
water, his body Cd: 'cI near the head, like a
girl with the erecian bend. But he is Tying
TO straiyh'sn and extend himself upon the
su face. In the edor. he has split himself or
his skin right bet~ his ears. the split be-
coming wider and longer. "Why, Uncle
John. if there ains boat, and musouito
with green head lying in it," Yes, his skin
is now his skiff in which he sails. The water
now has suddenly ceased to be his element.
II is the greatest enemy the musquito has to
dread. Should the cradle, in which be is
rocked by the zephyr, be capsized he would
soon perish. This then is 8 critical :ime
with him. 1t is the crisis in his little life.
If be passes it safely then his fortunes made
Every boy and girl reaches similar point
Or as hakespeare says,
There is tide in the affairs of life,
Which taken at the huod leads on to fortune,
Ii neglected, all life's voyage is lost
In Swallows and in miseries."
But see. he is drawing his hind parts out
Of the case, and he now stands uprigh. in his
little vessel, like the mast of ship. Though
- LII