Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-10-22
TRAINED BUGS.
HOW INSECTS ARE MADE TO TOLL
IN PARIS.

Educated Bugs of &C. the Insect
Tanner OF Berne'-They Work at
q Golden n "a INNER and Toll Dill.
gently for the Mas er Who laugh
Them TO Labor.
An ordinary bedbug is not an insect
that commands admiration on ac-
count of its surprising intelligence,
and it is hard to believe that two OF
the species are attracting wondering
crowds to see them 60 through set
performances; but this is actually 60
ing on in Paris.
The owner of the two educated bugs
is Victor Shumann, who calls himself
"The insect Tanner of Berne." Shu-
mann has taught the two bedbugs with
which he is now amusing the Parisians
to 60 through a performance in which
model of the great Nasmith hammer
at the works of Krupp, at Essen in
Germany, is the center-piece.
Shumann constructed this model
only after many months of hard work,
and in itself it is great curiosity.
The ponderous hammer of which it is
copy is of the pattern familiar to
those who have visited works in which
big machinery is made. The mass of
iron that constitutes the striking part
is moved up and down in frame
work above the anvil by means OF u
lever, which is nicely balanced that
the operator OF the hammer can crack
a hickory nut or crash masses of white
hot metal with equal facility. The
tiny model OF this ponderous hammer
Shumann constructed of solid gold, so
far as the hammer and anvil are con-
cerned, and of silver as the Frame
work; the chains and gearing of that
dearest of metals, platinum.
The hammer which Shumann took
as a model weighs 100000 pounds.
The model weighs just little more
than half an ounce; but in spite of its
microscopical size every portion of the
machinery is workable as in the
ponderous original. The framework
is of so fine a construction that it
resembles the hair spring of tiny
watch, and the platinum wires of
which the chains are made, are of such
thinnest that they can only be seen
with the aid of microscope.
The operations of the bugs are
serveyed through number of magnify
ing glasses to which the eyes of the
patrons of the queer little show are
applied. At the word of command
from the insect tanner the bugs issue
solemnly from little compa rtment
built for them under the framework
of the hammer, and while one en-
circles with his fore feet the lever
which raises and lowers the hammer,
the other proceeds to place tiny bar
of metal on the anvil. At q second
signal from Shumann the bug at the
lever raises the hammer to the top OF
the frame, and brings it crashing down
ON the golden anvil. At least the
spectators can imagine they can hear
the crash-for through the magnifying
glasses the tiny machine seems to be
of enormous proportions, while the
bugs are enlarged until they become
frightful looking monsters.
The performing bugs and their gold
EN- hammer are becoming the talk Of
Paris, and the exhibit is pronounced
one of the most remarkable that even
that city of surprising shows has seen
for some time. Shumann has become
so enthusiastic over the success of his
idea that he has promised the Parisians
to outdo their widest fancies in the
training of his bugs, by making them
so skillful that they will not only &c
through the mechanical work or rails
ing and lowering the hammer, but will
actually fashion the tiny section OF
wire on the anvil into geometrical
figures.
Shumann claims that the bedbug il
q much abused insect. at have
trained many insects" he said in 6
recent interview, /" but for choice give
me the despised and prosecuted bed
bug. I admit that dead bedbug is no,
the most prepossessing of insects, but
a live one properly treated is some
thing to admire. Those bugs of mine
will come at my call, and as you SET
will obey my command instantly wher
ordered to work the hammer. claim
that they are possessed of unusual in
telligence, and have finer instincts
than even the ant, which is usually
considered the cleverest inhabitant'
of the insect world. 1 began thu
training of the bugs by placing theil
feet in position, and then moving the
machinery or drawing the tiny bar o
iron in the right direction. The bugs
OF course, were for escaping at first
but they soon learned that no harm
came to them by keeping where they
were, and after time the motion
applied came to be mechanical tt
them, and 1 had only to place the fee
of one on the lever and place the othel
in the vicinity of the bar of iron t.
cause them both to 60 through the per
formance spontaneously. 1t was al
easy matter to train them to come