Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-11-03
EATING SAND FLEAS.
An Aged Gentleman Who Believes n
Utilizing Everything That Is Good.

An Aged Gentleman Who Believes IN
Utilizing Everything That Is Good.
1t was most weird and curious spec
tacle. The night was dark, the moon hav-
ing not yet risen. A lantern with q re
fiector, set upon the sand of Asbury Park.
threw a bright light across the beach
toward the water. In front of 1t was
spread piece of cheesecloth about six feet
long by five feet wide. At the edge OF the
breakers queer looking old gentleman In
spectales and bathing hat was capeine
around, brushing the surface Of the sand
vigorously with a handkerchief. On further
inspection 1t became apparent that he was
engaged in driving toward the lantern 0
multituAeof little hopping creatures.
These queer things that hoped were
quickly seen to be Of the species known
iamiliarly as sand feas" or 'sand hop
pers." But whereas they are ordinarily Il
be observed only occasionally by ones OF
myriads Of them. The method adopted by
the person In spectacles for driving them
was quite systematic. BY Tapping with
his handkerchief he caused them to travel
all in one direction-toward the light
which naturally attracted them, and they
were thus made to march in q hopping and
crawling army to and upon the cheese
cloth, gathering around the glass lantern
and jumping against 1t.
When all Of them within range had beer
driven upon the cheesecloth he quickly
took up the latter by the corners and
dumped its contents, which must have
amounted to at least 500 hoppers. into 9
small tin washboiler that was partly filled
with moist sand. Then he picked up all oi
his apparatus, including the lantern ani
the cheesecloth. and moved away to an
other spot on the beach, where he set dowr
the lantern, spread the cheesecloth in front
of it as before, and began another drive
commencing to flap the sand with hii
handkerchief at some distance away along
the waters edge, and gradually causing
the sand feas to gather together from al
sides, moving in the direction of the Ian
tern. Apparently there we're just as many
as had been found on the previous occa
sion, and the manner in which they wert
made to move strangely suggested pic
lures which every one has seen Of the
process of driving fur seals.
"You never saw anything like this be
forei" ssSd the queer old gentleman
"That Is because this is a plan of my OWE
invention. 1t is funny how most people &
through the world without observing
what is under their notice. For example
! suppose that you never knew that the
beach-every seabeach, in fact-has noe
turnal population. At night. when most
.kS, n,s,,a nk,.r Rns sc
these sand hoppers, which remain con
cealed in the sand during the day. CONF
out to feed. They are not insects, as 1.
popularly supposed, but crustaceans, be
longing to the same order as the crab.
and Holsters. II you will examine then
you will find that they are clad In very
elegant suits of armor, and they have pow.
erful legs with which to jump.
Zone of these little fellows, though It Il
rare to find one as much as an inch II
length, can leap eighteen inches. II yor
were built equally well for jumping yor
would think nothing of skipping 100 feet
at bound. These sand hoppers are tn,
scavengers Of the beach. OF course ther,
Is vast amount of organic refuse, botl
animal and vegetable, thrown up by tn,
waves, and the task OF removing It and o.
keeping the beach always fresh and clear
is performed by the sand fleas, who com,
out of the sand by millions as soon as nigh
falls. and clear away all such rubbish
They keep at the very edge Of the surf
where every receding wave leaves some
thing for their consumption, but though
the billows constantly flow over them
they emerge Immediately, because the,
are air breathing animals and would b,
drowned II submerged for any length O
time"
"But what do you catch them fors" wa
asked Of the queer old gentleman.
"To eat," he replied. "They make al
admirable salad with mayonnaise dress
ing, and they are very good indeed simpl!
boiled, with pepper and vinegar. New
York World.