The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-15
SOME FLEAS IN SEASON.
WHY EVERYBODY 1T SCR ATCHING
FOR DEAR LIFE.

From the San Francisco Examiner
The merry flea is holding high carnival
;ust now, and to take trip in a cable car
interior is as good as an evening with Evans
and Hoey. Gentlemen who carry walking
sticks along Kearny street bang their calves
and western sides vigorously, though
frrrively, to allay the excruciating agony,
and certainly no virgin martyr of ancient
/ times ever endured half the agony under
which the matinee girl now smiles as she
feels the pulex irritans creep slowly up
under her corsage till that part of her spine
inst behind the place where her heart
nulsates wildly is reached.
The theatrical flea is much worse than its
cable car cousin. but then the theatrical flea
NAV be squashed when the lights go down
and the music is slow and solemn, but the
cable car flea may pursue its hbidinous ca
reer unchecked and unlimited as to ter
ritOry.
If Aeas-the cat-heas and the dog -feas, and
bnffalo-feas and their aunts, the "jiggers,"
hut here in San Francisco, we enjoy the
presence of the real old-fashioned Bengal
tiger.dea This insect knows its business
and attends to it strictly, without regard to
age. sex or color, although amateur scien-
tis.s do claim that the San Francisco flea is
inclined to be masher.
Our local ientis5s are possessed of decid-
ejly meager information. DIR. Hardness
who knows all about fungi and mastodons,
ami when it is the best time to gather petri-
fled pre-Adamites, says that he hasn't got
round to the flee yet.
As for Dr. Mouser, who is an expert on
Koch and Pasteur, and germicides. he
thinks that the flea Is harmless 80 far as
deleterious influences are concerned. He
doesn't think that the flea can convey germs
Of disease from one person to another, and
regards it simply as miniature wolf that
feeds on human blood, and likes the meat
tender In fact, be says that since he grew
old he has not been troubled with feas at
all.
He and some of his friends, however,
have referred the writer to several learned
treatlses GU the subject, from which one
can gather much knowledge.
The flea belongs TO the fourth order of
insects suctorea, composing the single pulex
Of Linn9us. He is clothed in armor quite
as indestructible as that of knight Of old.
This one is the type-the pulex irritans-
he who lives in straw barns, in houses
where slovenly housekeeping is found He
is more domesticated with man than any
Of bis copgeners. In warm climates he is
indeed foe, especially where there is much
sand and the atm sphere is dry. The species
iscommon everywhere; but, loving warmth,
in countries where the climate is some
times very cold he can be kept under SUBJ
lection with a due amount Of clean
illness. The eye is exceedingly black,
aud the rays OF light sciatillate through it
with the Lrilliancy of a blacks nith's forge
in full blast on a dark night. He evidently
uses only one at time, as
bis head has a strong resemblance
to that of a bird. Rosel, the first
examiner Of thi; part, thought it was com>
posed of only two pieces, but modern OBJ
servers prove it is made up of seven. In
some species it is still more complicated.
Observe one particular that the lablal palpi
have each very small hole at the end in
The interior it is full OF small valves through
these holes and the cavities behind the eyes
toe flea oreathes; this must be so since there
are no other stigmata to be found over the
whole body.
In some species you may perceive some
thing like stigmata on the plates, but when
turned over they show no communication
with any nerve or filament Air must be
admitted in some way to keep the fluids
healthy, to render them fit for circulation.
This little sucker, when he regales himself,
stands quite erect and boldly strikes his
sucker in. He will stand and suck, without
lntermission, as long as you will permit him,
for he vOids as fast as he imbibes. This you
may perceive any day by placing several in
sSmall vial and giving them piece of I'M
derdone or raw meat. The leg Is exceeding
ly worthy of examination. Here all the
strength of the flea lies, and it is
very marvellous how much he can
90 and how high he can leap. He can leap
thlrty-six times his own hight.
feat absolutely unattainable by anything
else on this earth. The leg is very elastic
and connected to the body with long ten
ions, receding into themselves like wire
springs. When about to leap the leg is
drawn up as close to the body as possible
ana then shot out. The momentum pro-
ceeds only from the first joint; all propell-
Ing power is there, but the other joints re-
eslye the shock, and increased by their
stre'ch while the leap is being made. 1t
mistaken idea that they
accomplish distance by the leap;
tne motion proceeds from fright,
TAKEN in self-detense. and is almost al
Ways upward. They come down very near
I 9ne place from whence the leap was taken.
VI, W 'nls you may convince yourself by plac-
ins nea in drop of red ink on piece OF
. Mnl'e paper in q box with glass cover;
t .hen you may see the leap. You will find
.ne ur0p resembles q target after being
useu' Every descent is as near as possible
10 the center.
,e Llnhteus says the cat "has no fleas," but
ne c3uld have seen some which have re-.
eehCiy Deem experimental on he would have
; wondered which individuality was the orig
lnal, cat or flea.
l us nea, insthe winter aud autumn, CLUES
neL eggs TO the hair OF the cat in the spring
e emu summer they are dropped loosely in the
;ul' me egg is the prettiest little thing
tniaslnaoie, fairer than pearl and per-
teouy translucent. But they are infini-
Hs4l i IN size and barely perceptible on a
D DlacA ground to the naked eve. She deposits
p"aIu OF @OO eggs at time, running hither
ud tnlCner during the process. In a few
ays small white worms come ont. These
1--we not strength to puncture for them
yves, so exist upon the blood yoided by
c %s grown heas. They follow them as
tueKens do hen, working, corkscrew
,a;sul9n, through the hair. Sometimes in
ga Jays they will 20 into cocoon. then
tsSs Fan IL takes two weeks, owing to
sns condition Of the animal thew
~ 'oh' In SIX weeks time the flea arrives
TIL maturity, allowing these mouthlnps.
usa 1t commences to propagate. The
i,s Im casts its skin three times aad spins
inocoon with its body in O circle. appear
~ 70 use its tail as much as its head The
IN. is charming piece of workman
AK Conceive the finest flask of glass
ads5Naw WITH gold, fringed at the edges with
ss~lnecate pearl color, the little worm. re-
inp,ng strip Of roseleaf in color, repos-
rlS,.14 e'ii-aii this the most minute ar.
EsSIlleht possible. The flea has a most
t, ", manner Of getting through the
viii. ,t three legs keep the hair parted,
eAaa