Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-07-28
THE INTERESTING FLEA.
Habits, Capabilities and Personal
Qualities of u Gifted Creature.
From the Swiss Cross I


Let us put our flea under the micro
scope. 1t seems to I've clothed in q sort
of armOr formed of brown. overlapping
plates that are so exceedingly tough as
to be almost indestructible. Its head is
small and thin, and it has single eye
upon each side. This eye is black, and
the rays of light scintillate within it like
sparks of ire. Puget managed to look
| Through Que of these eyes, and he found
that it diminished objects in size while
it multiplied them in number "a man
appearing like an army of fairies, and
the flame of a candle becoming thou
sand tiny stars. From the shape of its
head; and for other reasons, the flea is
supposed to use only one eye az time.
The offensive weapon of the flea ia conf
posed of two palpi, or feelers, two pierc-
ers and tongue. When it feeds il
stands erect, thrusting this sucker into
the flesh, and will eat without intermis-
sion until disturbed for it voids as fast
MS it swallows its food. /. is intert sting
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 mir into their
bodies through small holes at the end of
the palpi.
The legs of flea are marvels of
strength and elasticity. They are joined
to the body by long tendons that act like
wire springs. In making it's leap, which,
it is said, can cover 300 times its own
length, the flea draws the leg up close
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
the leap is being made.
Fleas are possessed of great strength.
Moutfet tells of mechanic who made
gold chain rs long ns his finger that
flea dragged after him, and gold chariot
which he drew also. Bingley writes Of
a matchmaker in the Strand who had an
ivory four wheeled chaise, with coach
man on its box drawn by flea. The
same man aiterward made carriage
with six horses, coachman, four per-
sons inside, two footmen behind, and
position on one of the horses, all of
which was drawn by single flea.
Latriella mentions flea which dragged
a silver cannon of twenty-four times its
own weight, mounted on wheels, and
showed no fear when it was charged with
gunpOwder and fired off. Rene says that
he saw three feas drawing tiny omni-
bus, that pair drew chariot; and that
brass cannon was dragged by single
one.
There are several varieties of heas, but
they are so much alike that their differ
ences are interesting only to scientific
people. The cat flea will do as we'll rs
any to show us the process of breeding.
During the spring and summer months
she simply drops her eggs into the fur
of the cat, but in the autumn and winter
she Clues each firmly upon hair. These
eggs are SO small rs to be barely visible
to the naked eye, but under the micro
scope they are beautiful, looking like
the loveliest pearls, and are perfectly
translucent.
The flea deposits nearly 200 at time,
running about aud dropping them here
and there. They soon hatch into small,
white, footless worms. In from one to
two weeks they 60 into cocoon.