The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-10-21
rae FLY AND HIS WAYS.


Similar to . File.
In the Arst place the common
house fiy-that gets into the milk and
butter and has to be kept from the
table by fans has wonderful machine
that Is carried about to make life pos
sible. The mouth of the little black
scamp Is q curious contrivance to get
food out of impossible places
This mouth is really nothing more or
less than a tongue, which runs in ana
ont of the head like the tongue OF
snake. When the lowering insect sees
good spot to light on, where there Is
prospect of q meal he settles down,
shakes leg or two, and then RI A. his
mouth out ready for business
This piece of machinery seems to come
out of the head, and it will always look
that way if you don't take good peep
at the fiy through glass some day
when he is busy on lump OF sugar.
Then YOU will see that the tiny black
thread Just unfolds from beneath the
head, where there is little socket pre-
pared for it.
When the tongue comes out it spreads
and the end divides into two broad,
fat leaves that are planted fat down
on the food that is to be stolen. This
Is like nothing so much as pump with
a terribly strong draw" that sucks up
all the sweet strip there may be on the
lump of sugar.
i But If the food should be hard and
the fiy cannot get good hold OF 1T he
touches little muscle spring and the
smooth surface of his tongue roughens
ND like file. Back and forth these
edges work until the hard surface Is
torn and scraped, and the particles that
the fly likes are sucked up into the
stomach.
Then the fly balances on four OF his
six legs and uses the front pair as q
napkin, wiping off his tongue. he Is Q
neat little fellow and never takes
mouthful without brushing his face
carefully. OF course it would be far
better IL he should use a bit OF cloth
J rather than his hands-they must be
hands If four of the others are feet-
but it would be bit awkward for MN
to go sailing around with napkin
| tied to his belt. 1t would be funny
too, wouldn't it?
Then the fly gives . sudden NIP o.
J his wings, making them go SO fast thai
? Won cannot see them, and he is on.
, Maybe he has been chewing the cover
. If a book. for there are wonderful ny
, dainties concealed In the coloring mat
{ ter of the cloth binding, and then wheI
he slips off he leaves a little spot o
) white where he has scraped up the col
| yt, ho
t standing on the back of your hand SIP
s ping the perspiration, OF which ne
5 yery fond, and then he leaves tain
l red mark and a slight singing feeling
e Don't be alarmed, though, for tn
d house fly has nothing of poisonou
0 sort in him and cannot hurt you. Som
q of his cousins have way OF biting AM
v leaving sore places, especially thos
i that drink blood, but the house ny
;. not a cannibal He is very well civil
g lied.
e But we are far ahead OF our storJ
J. We have not seen yet how the flies ar
:, born. 1t is during the hot days OF Al
r gust and September that most OF Tn
: eggs are laid, and as they hatch out
8 about two weeks-sometimes in les
than that-the swarms of the insect
e become very thick at that time. 4
O the cold weather comes the flies begi
Is to die off. Many of them, million
IS have died natural deaths before the
d the average life of a fly is about min
D. days-and millions more have trod Vi
IS wisely on sticky paper, and perishe
It there in the gum.
"a Other millions have taken greed
10 sips from deadly sweets that have bee
It spread out on papers and in dishes
IL slay them, and their dead bodies ha'
r. been swept away into the dust bin.
p Still other millions have tumbled in
the milk and gone bravely into Il
A. butter. while few thousand have be-
10 crushed by quick hands or snapped
h rubber bands. Countless numbers ha'
IN been eaten by the birds, and even Ia
I'd by and Towser have snapped up a Il
i'd hundreds.
n So the great fly family has perishe
Of and when the first frosts come the
Ill are only few old grandfathers Al
H. grandmothers buzzing slowly arou
|e- looking after the nests of eggs tn
lis have been laid carefully in the moo
is and corners to provide for the sprir
re Then the cold gets too much for thu
is and they are found some cold morni
mo- living on their backs or sticking fast
,se window pane that is all white arouI
ce So for some months there are no iii
Cd and at first we are glad and speak
all how nice it is to be without the t
,er ments. But before the winter is o.
we are apt to miss their merry buzzi
and feel lonesome without their chez
busy presence. and we sometimes ca
lat ourselves wishing for fly.
lot With what glee do we hail the q
ZEN fly of spring! Why, he is like the 4
lad robin out on the frosty lawn.
lot speak about him at the dinner tai
of 1t is great event
ter .sPshaw!" someone says, Il saw a
de; . week ago!"
ing But there, what's the use OF tryint
ide get ahead of folks that are alw
ike noticing little things? They are s
,rs, TO beat you in the long run.
rts How did those two early flies
of out? Where did they come fri
can Didn't all the flies die last autur
sos, Yes, yes; you are right ALI the
ne, did die last autumn, but before t
ted died they left some eggs stored aw
hat and when the warm air OF spring q