Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-08-07
The mission Of the House Fly.


The fly when it alights rubs rs hind legs
together; then each hind leg is passed over
wing: then the same operation is performed
with the fore legs; md then il yon observe
closely, you viii see Mr.. Fly pass his trunk or
lr,boscis over bis legs and abcu, his
body as far as he can reach. The trunk ter
inmates in two Large lobc's, Which spread ons
when the insect begins meal aod is capable
Of fbeipr drawn back rapidly but though thus
constituted it is net fitted for licking but
simply for grasping and drawing mp food
What the fly does BY ayiug around aud then
alighting and going through the man@u7'es
described has at length been sueenssiuliy IN
vestigatcd and decided by an English chemist
named Emerson, who carried out bis works by
the aid Of powerful microscope. He relates
.bat when be first conceived the idea OF ma
king the investigation he captured foe spec
linen aud glued its wings down to micro
scope slide. On placing the slide under the
instrument he found to his disgust that the ny
appeared to be covered with vermin. lie
tried several Others, which were likewise COW
cred with lice, and this curious coincidence
,ed him to still further investigation. why
re ,he les thus afflicted, or was itau ailiction
Watching one Of the flies fastened on the slide
more closely he observed the creature extend
its proboscis and sweep it over bis body, as II
he had ius. alighted. Wherever The lice were
the trunk went; they were disappearing With
in lis recessos the fy was actually eating
them! At first be thought this vermin The
ay's progeny, bu! further investigation DIS
proved this.
Dir. Emerson took piece Of white paper
on which two flies had lighted and weTo lick
ing themselves, aud putting !, under tho IN
strment found some Of 'ho little creatures
had fallen ofT-crumbs from the table, SO TO
sneak. He then took the paper, went into
/ G kitchen and waving il around his head,
taking care that no FIRE touched il during the
operation, went back to the microscope and
there found animalcules the same as those
found on the dies Here he had something
definite. They were not tho progeny Of tho
ay, but amin cules floating in the air. Tic
body Of the fly is covered with coarse long
hair. and It's quick motions serve to take them
IN. as the hairy mouth Of the whale takes up
the animalculcs Of the sea. When he gets
the net full the fly retiro5 10 bis fayorie recess
on the window sill or 10 a quiet corner, and
proceeds to doyour bis feast ofsoft-sbcll crabs.
Mr.. Emerson continued Lis Investigations IN
variety Of places, and the more dirty aud
filthy the place aud the more frtid the odoF
peryaling it, the richer The harvest he found
the flies had made in the animalculo line.
While the flies captured 10 such filthy places
were usually fat. and pIothoric, and hapPJ,
the flies fourd in clear and wel-ventilated a.
partments were 50 lean and miserable that
when spider caught one Of them in his par
lor" he Immediately kicked it out as not it to
eat Wherever Glih existed, evolving germs
that might genelate disease, there Mr. EmcE-
son observed that the fi.s were mcie Attractive,
aud there they covered themselves with The
minute organisms which they greelily de7onr-
ed. From This can be deduced the conclusion
that while the mission Of h,uie flies is one q
immense importance to man, their presence 10
immense numbers, whilei indicates unhealthy
exhalations, also guarantees immunity from
disease to some extent. OF course tie house
Gy which has perchant for bald heads, and
lights on the skin only to punctlre t and
draw blood is not here taken into account
Such flies should no, receive any credit, even
if they deserved it.