Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-01-06
T he Flea.


ish aud multiply most abundautly.
But in spite of St. Dominic's curse
and their unclean haunts. they aJe in
teresting little fellows. Let Us put
one under the microscope. 1t seems
10 be clothed in an eTmOr formed of
brown overlapping plates, that are so
exceedingly tough as to be almost in-
destructible It's head is small
and very thin. and it has a single eye
upon each side. This eye is black,
aud the rays of light Scintilate with
in it like sparks of fire. Puget man
aged to look through one of these
ewes, and he found that il diminished
objects in size, while it multiplied
them in number man appearing
like an army of fairies. aud the flame
of a candle becoming THOUSAND tiay
stars. From the shape of its head,
and for other reasons, the ti3a is sup
posed to use only one eve at a time.
The offensive weapon of the flea is
composed of two palpi, or fee!efs, two
piercers, and a tongue. When IL feeds
it stands erect, thrustiDg this sucker
into the flesh, and it will eat without
intermission until disturbed. TO, it
voids as fast as il swallows its food.
Il is interesting to put several in a
glass, and giving them a piece of raw
meat, see them all standing on their
hiad legs TO suck up its juices.
Their manuer of breathing is still
undetermined, but it is thought most
probable that they receive air into
their bodies through small holes at
the ends of the palpi
The legs of flea are marvels of
strength a1d elasticity. They are
joined to the body by long tendons
that act like wire springs. In iak-
ing its leap, which, it is said, can
cover two hundred times its own
length, the flea draws the leg up close
up to the body, and then throws it
out with great force; but the impulse
proceeds from the first joint alone, the
others only Increasing it by their
stretch while tie leap is being made
Fleas ara possessed of great
strength Moutfet tells of mechanic
who made gold chain, as long as
his finger, that a flea dragged after
him, aad golden caariot, which he
drew also. Bingley writes of a watch.
maker in the Strand who had an ivo-
ry four wheeled chaise, with a coach
man on its box, drawn by a flea.
The same mau after ward made car
riage with six horses, coacbmaD,
four persons inside, two footmen be.
hiud, aud position on one of the
horses, all of which were drawn by
a flea. Latrielle mentions a flea
which dragged q silver cannon, of
tWenty-four times its own weight
mounted on wheels, and showed nc
fear when it was charged with gun-
powder and fired off Rene says that
be saw three feas drawing tiny ON
nibus; that q pair drew chariot, and
that brass cannon was dragged by
single one
There are several varieties of aeas,
but they are so much alike that their
differences are interesting only to sci
entiic people. The cat flea will do as
we'll as any to show US the process o.
breeding. During the spring and
summer months she simply drops heI
eggs into the fur of the cat, but
in the autumn and winter 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 lovliest pearls. end are perfect
" translucent. The flea deposits near.
ly 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 CO
coon. | wish | could show it to you
but will try to describe it. 1t is like
n flask of clear glass, tiuged at the
edges with pearly tints, and dotted
over with gold. The little sleeper
within lies in circle. is rose coored,
and looks like the delicate petal of a
flower. In about six weeks he reach
ea maturity At first he is not larger
than a mite, but when well fed grows
quickly in size and strength.
Fleas are qnarrelsome, and great
| fighters. When several are confined
in a glass, they will stand on their
hind legs, striking at their opponents
with the others, and antenn@ and al
last giving up their lives in the fight
There is record of a flea that live d
ten days after such an encounter, with
no antenne; 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
antipathv to worm wood and other
bitter herbs; and, in England, the
country people have habit OF plac-
ing these about their cottages for the
purpose of banishing the lively little
pests.-S. L, Clayes, Sciss Cross.