The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-11-04
Trained Fleas.

SlgnOr BertOlOttO, venerable 1tal-
ian, upward of sixty, in connection with
the flea has established European repu-
tation. Yesterday he had his menagerie
at 80 Union square, and invited select
audience to witness his performance The
exhibitor is genial old man, with voice
modified by long intercourse with his
minute friends; his hand, though large,
possesses an exquisite delicacy of touch,
and he bends over and fondles his singu-
lar pets as though he felt real affection
for them. In 1882 he began the training
of f1eas in England, and amassing con-
siderable fortune retired from professional
life. Recently times have gone hard with
him, and again he summons the t1eas to
his rescue. The professors present troupe
discarded as utterly intractable), which
were brought from Canada, the professor
making the delightful announcement that
fleas are extremely scarce in the United
States. The performance yesterday
opened with a passage-at-arms between
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, two
blood-thirsty tleas that, mounted on tiny
paper-horses, attacked each other with
spears. The tiny paper-horses being sta
tionary, no great damage was done to
either of the contestants, but the fleas real
ly appeared actuated by deadly hatred,
and whilled the little spears about in
furious manner. Next an illustration of
the immense strength of the creature was
given in the performance of an herculean
flea, who, being harnessed to little gilt
chariot, weighing just 1 200 times his own
weight, drew the same about the table.
As an agent of locomotion, however, the
flea is not as much of success as in some
other particulars, for, its legs being CEN
tered in the immediate neighborhood of
its head, there is an unavoidable slovenly
appearance about the way in which it
carries the remainder of the body; and
besides, the natural gait of the flea is that
of the agile kangaroo, and it can never be
trained to assume comely trot. Howev-
er, the little creature shambled around with
the chariot, and one of its fellowssat on
the box as digniied driver as ever cracked
whip.
A wild flee was next produced, one that
had never received any educational adj
vantages. Its habit was still that of
creature who lives only to hop and bite,
and chain and ball attached to the hind.
leg told of its untitness to associate un-
restrained with its civilized brothers.
The chain and ball were of gold, the
former being just one inch in length and
containing 400 links. On the same micro
scopic plan all the paraphernalia used was
constructed, little hats and coats fitting
with remarkable nicely. Other of these
remarkable insects were made to turn
cranks and hoist buckets, but the Chef
dsuure Of the entertainment was some
two dozen f1eas at ball. At one end Of
the ballroom was a complete orchestra,
Aoo hol1srn. 70
in readiness for the dance. On the floor
two couples were seen, and on tiny sofa
another was engaged, at least so said the
professor, in very desperate Irritation. A
music box was then set in motion, and at
the first sound the little insects began
their respective vacations, those on the
floor whirling about in the dance and
those in the orchestra working their legs,
to which were attached the Instruments,
in most enthusiastic manner. When
the size of the flea is remembered the task
of handling them at all will he appre-
ciated. Fortunately, they are as tough as
porcupines, and can be unceremoniously
picked up with the little steel pincers
without danger of hurting them. The
average lifetime of flea is about eight
months, and as four months is required
in subduing their spirits and altering
their gait from a hop to trot it will be
seen that the process of training is an
endless one.
Of the 800 fleas in this collection about
half are performers and have to be taken
from their harness of threads once day
to be fed. Their fodder is nothing less
than the blood of the professor, who per-
mits the whole flock to browse on his left
arm every morning.-N. Y. World.