The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-07-19
IFor the Herald.
Talks to the Little Folks about Insects.
NO. 3.-THE FLY.

NJ. O.-t I1G Fla.
DEAR CHILDREN: We will resume this
evening our talks about insects, which have
been unavoidably, though reluctantly, sus-
pended for several weeks. There are so
many varieties of the Fly, that our limits for
bid us speaking of them all, so we will con-
fine ourselves to the common fy, only allud-
ing incidentally to other species. There is
perhaps no insect more profusey distributed.
4 citizen Of every cline, to the manor born,
he makes himself perfectly ct home every
where and with everybody. Because of his
excessive familiarity he is universally de-
spiscd, particularly BY men, horses and dogs.
He forces his company upon you when aud
where it is not wanted; he takes the most
unwarrantcd liberties with your person, ven
turing to kiss the faircst cheeks and rosicst
lips without the Semblance of an introduc-
ton or even encouragement He is always
the first at table, helping himself iadiscrimi-
nateIy to every dish he fancies without ever
waiting for grace, and frequently in his ill.,
manner!y anxieIy Scaldng his mouth most
w0fully. And have positively known him,
in his eagcrneSs to get the first sip Of tea or
coffee, to drown himself iu the delicious bev-
erage. He is, in Il worl, utterly destitute of
modesty or good breeding. hope of
my little readers are so unfortunat- to
possess so bad q trait. But, though regarded
as a nuisance, his company Stunned by
everybody, and MINIS ingenuity taxed to in
vent means to keep him at respectful dis
tance, yet is this insect really useful, and the
great architect displayed infinite skill in
the construction Of his wonderful frame. He
has no less than 1000 eyes, covering minute
oval spaces on the sides OF his head, liar
10 the network Of IL lady 5 veil, each with its
individual cornce, upon which separate
object is reflected while only one image is
seen-a fact as ineX2ic'bie as that CT ami
mails with only two eyes seeing only one im-
age. The elegant and gracefully moving
Dragon Fly has eyes TO the number Of a.
600, some Of them hidden beneath his wings,
so that he can see objects on every side with
out turning his body, this brilliant legion of
eyes enabling him to embrace the whole
horizon and discern his prey at an amazing
distance. Behold him poised on steady wing
over the bright surface Of the lake, his body
rehccting all the colors of the rainbow,
watching eagerly his prey, then see him dar.
like an arrow to seize it, and you will at once
perceive that as countless as arc bis eyes he
puts every one Of them 10 the best practical
uses. lie is not like many people, who, hav-
ing only two, do not employ even these ad-
yantaScously, but pass through life rs though
they had GOne, no wiser or better ut is close
than they were at its beginning. The foot Of
the fly is Of such exquisite Workmanship,
and there is such an el, CANT adaptation of all
its complicated parts to the end proposed
that ii has been for years the admiration and
study of some Of the greatest minds. The
most powerful optical Instruments, with the
incest manipulation and the closest scrutiny,
have been brought 10 bear upon this little
instrument alone, and still some of the mys-
terics Of its mcchani. m remain unexplained
II is little world Of wonder to naturalist:
The first joint terminates with two divergent
hooks tlckly sown with stiff hair, with
which he clings 10 vertical surfaces as wood
pecker does, though these hooks are useless
on smooth surfaces. But to equip him for
safe and easy locomotion on the vertical and
under surfaces Of polished bodies, his maker
has placed just below these claws two mem
brancouS, transparent fan-shaped flaps or
soes, covered on their under surfaces with
flexible tubes which, it is almost certain,
contain glutiuouS secretion, given out in
walking, enabling the fly to walk fearlessly
and janutlv, rs well on the under aDd verti-
cal, as on the upper planes of the most high
ly polished bodies, and even on the perpe n
d:cular sides OF an exhausted glass tube
The upper .inints (tarri) Of his feet are cover
ed with stiff hairs at various distances apart.
These serve Us brushes or combs to cleanse
the palms or Soles anil keep the tubes free of
dust or moisture, which impede the flow of
the oily secretion. Hence. if you will watch
the fly in walking, yau will observe him stop
ping frequently 10 rub his feet together, but
sometimes over his head as kitten does of
cloudy morning. His safety and comfort
in walking depend upon keeping his feet
clean. He therefore washes them frequent
ly. Some Of NV little friends think it g great
hardship 70 wash their feet every night, and
unless closely watched By mother, jump in tc
bed with dirty feet and legs Don't let my
insect hero, boys, beat you in cleanliness.
IF Mr.. Fly is IN imnodess and troublesome
fellow. he has vt least one good trait, which
it would do well lor boys, and girls too, to
initiate. UNCLE JOHN.
NewbeTy, S. C.