Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-26
The Mission Of the House Fly

The fly when il alights rubs its binds legs
together; then each hind leg is passed over
wing; Then the same operation is perform
ed with the fore legs; and then if YOU o5Seryf,
Closely, you will see Mr.. Fly pass his trunk
or proboscis over his legs and about his BODY
as Lar as he can reach. The trunk Terminates
IN Two lar6c ioJels, which spread out when
the insect begins meal and il CAPABLE of
being drawn back rapidly: but though thus
constituted 1t Is not fitted for licking bar
SIMPLY Tor graSping and drawing up fool
W nat the hy does by flying around and then
alighting and going through the maneuvres
described has at length been SllrcaSsfuiiv in
vestigated and decided bv an English chap,ist
named Emerson, who carried out his works
by The aid OF powerful micrescore He re-
latts that when he first conceived the idaa of
making the Investigation lie captured a fine
specimen aud glued its wings down to "A
microscope slide. On placing the slide undar
ne instrument he found TO his disgust that
tne ny appeared To be GOV cred with vermin
He tried several others, which were II s,aUiSe
covered with lice, and this curious c2inci-
dence leo him to still further investigation.
Why were the flies thus afflicted ar va II
al ailliction? Watching one of tine fIiaS foe
tened on the slide more closely he observed
The creature extend its probosciS and Sypan
IL IL, over his BODY, as II he had just alightei
Wherever the lice were the trunk went: thew
were disappearing within its receSses; tae n y
was actually eating them! Al first he thought
this VernIn the fly s progeny, but further in
Yestlgatlon disproyed this.
Mr.. Emerson took q piece OF white napar
on which two flies had lighted ami were lick
ing themselves, and putting it under the in
strument found some of the little creatures
mad fallen of-crumbs from the table, so to
speak. He then took the paper, went into tina
Kitchen aid waving il around his head. TAX
ing care that no fire touched il during the
operation, went back to the microScoDS aud
mere fCJnd anlmalcules the same as those
found Oh the flies. Here he had Somethin0
dehnl1e. They were not the progeny of the
ny, but animalcules floating in tine air The
BODY OF the fly is covered with a coarse ION,
falr, and It's quick motions serve 10 take
them up, as the hairy mouth of the whale
takes up the animalculeS of the st;t When
he gets the net full the fly rctireS 10 his ia
Vote recess on the window sill or i'm q
quiet corher, and proceeds TO devOur his
feaSt OF It-Shell crabs. Mr. Emerson CON
tlnuet his lnVestigati0n S in a variety of
places, aud the more dirty and filthy Inc
place and the more fCatid the OiOr parvad-
ing ~. the richer the harvest he found the
nlSS mad made i'm the anima!cule line.
W nile the lilies captured in such filthy
places were usually fat, and plethora. and
happy, the ties found i'm clear and ye!I-yeu-
tllateu apartments were so lean and m tsera-
ole mat Wien spider caught one them i'm
MS ''parlor" he Immediately kicked il out as
nov nj To eat Wherever filth existed, evolv-
ing germs mat might generate disease there
Mr.. Emerson observed that the flies were
more attractive, and there they covered
themselves with the minute organisms which
trey greedIly devOured From this can be
deduced the conclusion that while themission
o. mouse HES Is one of immense importance
10 nhen, their presence in i'm mense numbers
while it indicates unhealthy exhalatioeS'
also guarantees immunity from disease to
some extent. Or course the house fly which
has perchant for bald heads and lights on
the KIN only TO puncture IL and draw blood
Should not receive any credit, even if they
deserved IL.