Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-03

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ASWG%%S3 natural history is full
TMGMER& of myths. Supersti-
A3xE42: tious and curious be-
11kNkEMNgN Gefs regarding animals
WyMsNSTN and insects have been
(n 0SH current from time inn
TEL~ memorial, and many
~ marvellous statements,
which had no founda-
tions in fact, have been made by learned but
creduious naturalists from the time of Pliny
down to the present day. Hesthens have
regarded beetles, bugs and serpents as OBJ
jects of veneration, and ever civilized peo-
pie have regarded certain insects as gifted
with more than human intelligence.
There are scarcely any of the
smaller, common animals, however
loathsome in appearance. that rave not, at
some time or other, been looked upon with
W by the superstitious, because, forsooth,
it was fancied that they were capable Of
working vast benefit or injury to the hu-
race. The time when the dead bodies
of certain insects formed an indispensable
part of every apothecary's stock in trade is
by no means long past, and even now scores
of selfstyled doctors" could probably be
found in the country who believe that such
materia mediea as bats @livers, rattlesnake
oil, spiders webs, and even spiders them
selves, possess magical curative properties.
THE WORSHIP OF THE BEETLE
As is well known, the s~carabeus, or
beetle, was worshiped by the ancient
Egyptians and was considered sacred to
various deities. 1t was represented on
monuments, in hieroglyphic writing and
engraved on royal escutcheons. Earthen
images of it, as well as of other animal
FORMS were entombed along with mumm1es
TO keep evil spirits from the dead. Its
figure was cut upon gems and worn in
jewelry as a talisman to keep the wearer
from harm. TIL insect was embalmed after
death and given honorable burial. En-
craven on the emerald the searabeus was a
remedy against witchcraft and headache,
and quite likely also to bring its possessor
into favor with the king.
1t is not surprising to find that the curl
Gus insect known as the FREELY has been re-
garded with superstitious awe by various
savage tribes. The natives Of West India
and other warm countries, however, are said
to put the flies to a very practical use.
They capture them in large numbers, and
putting them in cages of wire, 20 or 80 to-
gether, keep them alive by feeding them,
and use them at night to light their houses
save candles. If the light grows dim
the insects are wet, their cage shaken up,
them to shine brightly again. The
ladies pin large numbers of these creatures,
alive, to ballroom dresses, and wear them as
ornaments.
THE DEATH WATCH.
The little insect known by this name is a
very common pest of libraries and frequent
IL perforates huge volumes with straight,
tiny noles. Its presence in a house is sup
posed to portend an early death to some OF
the inmates. Watchers by siekbeds and
suffering patients have been so terrified by
It's uncanny ticking sound, heard in the
of the night, that nothing could con-
vince them that the Death Angel was not
in their presence. If there were
anything in the superstition those whose
dwellings are old would lead but brief and
uncomfortable lives, for it is frequently the
case during the summer time that the noise
Of this insect can be heard at almost any
hour of the day and night in all parts of
the house.
The ear-wig, a small winged insect, COM
monty found in moist earth and damp places
In England, is another harmless creature
has got a hard name through no
iault of its own. Although there are no
authentic cases on record OF this insect in
'uring any human being, there is a wide
Ipread popular belief that it only watches
or an opportunity to creep into the ear of a
person, destroy his hearing andl
him to madness if not to death. I'M
the animal known as the ear-wigi
s a creeping, crawling. many-legged worm,
allied by scientists a "~myriapodOus crust
,cean, q name which is fully as long and
S ugly as any specimen Of the ear-wig
ribe. Thousands of people believe that
his animal also has a habit of investigating
he anatomy Of the human ear, though
who profess to know say he is perfectly
innocent of anything OF the kind
INSECT FORTUNE
A very remarkable family of insects, il
ne may believe the half that is told of
hem, are the Mantidae, or fortune t~ellers.
has been shown for the praying
lsect $50 called from its habit of extending
s fore feet both by ancient and modern
1t has been regarded as a crime to
Iay one of these creatures. and an African
relates how be nearly threw a whole
-ibe into fits by threatening the destruction
u SluRNC lduLl II 11OllcutOtS, 4 was
fell down and prayed to each Of these
lsects that crossed their path.
The same creature, or a nearly allied
is found in various parts of this
and is commonly called the 'rear
on account of its habit of standing
4 its hind legs. A Southern lady, some
ears ago, wrote an interesting account Of
le which she had tanned and kept as q
,usehold pet. She used to consult ii, after
e manner of the ancients, and one day
ked the mantis if it would be wise to try a
w horse whose reputation was far from
The insect, which was standing
with wings spread when the question
Is asked, at once dropped down, folded its
.ngs and placed its head between its front
IS. Two days later the horse threw its
Ter and killed him. At another time she
.sregarded the warning of the soothsayer
d had cause bitterly to repent it after
srd. The French peasants are said to
We iDnumerable superstitions regarding
is strange insect. BARNEY.