Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-22
THE WONDERFUL FLEA.
How the Lively Little Pest Appear
Under the Micr0sCnue.

How the Lively Little Pest Appear
Under the Microscope.
Let us put odr flea under the micro
scope. 1t seems to be clothed in a sor
of armor formed of brown, overlappin,
plates that are SO exceedingly tough a.
to be almost indestructible. Its head il
small and very thin, and it has single
eye upon each side. This eye is black
and the rays of light scintillate within il
like sparks Of fire. Puget managed tc
look through one of these eyes, and he
found that it diminished objects in size
while it multiplied them in mum ber-s
man appearing like an army of fairies
and the fame of a candle becom.
| ing thousand tiny stars. From the
shape of its head, and for other reasons
the flea is supposed to use only one eye
at time. The offensive weapon of the
flea is composed of two palpi, or feelers
two piercers and a tongue. When il
feeds it stands erect, thrusting this
sucker into the flesh; and it will ca!
without intermission until disturbed. foi
it voids as fast as it swallows its food. II
is interesting to put several in glass,
and giving them piece OF raw meat,
see them all standing on their hind legs
to suck up its juices.
Their manner of breathing is still un-
determined, but it is thought most prob
able that they receive air into their bod
les through small holes at the ends Of the
palpi.
The legs of a flea are marvels of strength
and elasticity. They are joined to the
body by long tendons that act like wire
springs In making its leap, which, it is
said, can cover two hundred times its
own length, the flea draws the leg close
up to the body and then throws it out
with great force; but the impulse pro-
ceeds from the first joint alone, the
others only increasing it by their stretch
while the leap is being made.
Fleas are possessed of great strength.
Mouffet tells Of mechanic who made
gold chain as long as his finger that a flea
dragged after him, and a golden chariot,
which he drew also. Bingley writes of
matchmaker in the Strand who had an
ivory four wheeled chaise, with a coach
man on it's box, drawn by flea. The
same man afterwards made a carriage
with six horses, a coachman, four per-
sons inside, two footmen behind and
postillion on one OF the horses, all OF
which was drawn by single flea. La
triella mentions q flea which drew
silver cannon of twenty-four times its
own weight, mounted on wheels, and
showed no fear when it was charged with
gunpowder and fred off. Rene says that
he saw three feas drawing tiny omni-
bus; that pair drew chariot, and that
a brass cannon was dragged by single
one.
There are several varieties Of feas, but
they are so much alike that their differ
ences are interesting only to scientific
peorle. The cat flea will do as we'll as
any to show us the process of breeding
she simply drops her eggs into the fur Of
she Clues each firmly upon hair. These
eggs are so small as to be barely visible
to the naked eye, but under the micro
scope they are very beautiful, looking
like the loyeliest pearls, and are perfectly
translucent. The flea deposits nearly
two hundred at time, running
about and dropping them here and
there. They soon hatch into small white,
footless worms. In from one to two
weeks they go into cocoon. Nothing
can be prettier than this cocoon. I wish
1 could show it to you, but will try to
lUs lU 10 llhO q hdoR Va SiOol
glass, tinged at the edges with pearly
tints, and dotted over with gold. The
little sleeper within lies in circle, is
rose-colored, and looks like the delicate
petal of flower. In about six weeks he
reaches maturity. At first he is not
larger than mite, but when well fed
grows quickly in size and strength.
Fleas are quarrelsome, and great fight
ers. When several are confined in
glass they will stand on their hind legs,
striking at their opponents with the
others, and roll over and over each
other, losing legs and antenna, and at
last giving up their lives in the fight.
There is record of flea which lived ten
days after such an encounter with no
antenna, three plates of his side broken
in, one eye gone, and with only four legs,
and these cut off to the first joints.
Fleas are supposed to feel a great an
tipathy to wormwood and other bitter
herbs; and in England the country peo-
pie have habit of placing these about
their cottages for the purpose of Danish
ing the lively little pests.-[The Swiss
Cross.