New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-17
DEALING IN DRIED FLIES.
A CENTRAL AMERICAN SPECIMEN WHOSE BITE
IS OFTEN FATAL.

A CENTRAL AMERICAN SPECIMEN WHOSE BITE
is OFTEN FATAL.
al import ANYTHING under the sun that can see
any money in" said downtown commission nier
chant In answer Tribune reporter the otnef Gay
Brought in ANYTHING curious lately? ~ asked tiS
lnquisitlve visitor.
"Well. no bric.abrac or curiositics OF that Sort
deal in the plain, every day, homeiy proouc.s VI n
ture but think have something here when VIII
surprise Won for all that What do you say 10 box
as big as bale of hay, filed with the compressor
bodies OF dried Hes?'
"Flies!n exclaimed the reporter. "wlat kind
Spanish fes!"
Not particularly Spanish. Just Spanish American
Thoy're from Mexico and include any KIND OF ny tni'
nies and all kinds Of flies that fly should say.
James! ~ to a boy bring q scoopful OF those dned
flies for this young to write abot.'
james went with grin 10 a bale in the warehouse
behind the Office and back with SHINING Drass
SCOOP running over with thin, dry, nat things, WHICH
on inspection proved to be flies Of all sizes and col
ors with a sediment OF broken wings and detached
legs.
What arc they for ?" asked the reporter
"People buy them to feed to their singing bros
sell them retail the dealers, who tell me they are
especially good FOR birds at any time, ana Tor
Others at certain times OF the year,
Il should say they would prove pretty expensive
diet Just think Of the time and labor spent IN eaten
ing many neS'
you forget. young man, that Mexican Indian is
not Knight of Labor. His time is about as valuable
As that OF setting hen. Flies thicker, too In the
tropical valleys OF Mexico than you have any idea Of
something like mosquitoes in a New Jersey swamp or
shall we say as thick blanks in a lottery ~
Well, continued the speaker the Mexican Indian
who can no longer sleep in his hut account of the
swarms OF flies attracted by the filth which accumulates
about his front door, sometimes is stung into desire
for revenge on his enemies Revenge is sweet. and
,wceter II there is any money in IT. lie goes to the
woods and collects number OF green twigs OF certain
tree These he lays In pile on the noor OF Ills hu'
with some dry twigs under them. Then from another
tIre he gets n gum which he boils into thin syrup
and spreads on the walls OF his hut. The hles are
attracted by its fragrant and far reaching odor Tiey
gather 10 feed on IT, When the hut Is black with them
the Indian sets fire to the twigs the floor and closes
the apcrurcs from tho outside. The twigs emit an
aromatic smoke which kills the flies, and they fall to
the floor in thousands. Then the natives vile dries
them while he goes to sleep again.
Here's find for you,' continued the merchant, as
he singled out Il bigger fly than usual. This Is a
specimen Of the eating fly Of Central America.
This is fly which inhabts the lowlyng coast regions
OF Central America and is much dreaded b. the natives
for the fearful results which follow It's sting Naturasts
call it Lucla Hominivora. The average specimen u
ABOUT third of an inch long II has big head, rs
golden yellow, Ito abdomen dark blue with purple
produce continuous and loud ouzzns when IL
notion go. -, n, -. Ill.,. .-u.a
myasis 1t generally begins with an itching OF inc
nose then that organ >wcllS and bleeds, next II
becomes liberated and in these ulcer may De onnI se
ery pclas SITS in followed by meningitis and death
one man | knew shot himself after he had been
Mttcn rather than face the tortures he knew were
certain Is difficult. subcutaneous injections OF
chloroform sometimes do good but as often fail; one
man heard OF was cured by lemon juice Injected into
his blood