Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-19
HOW SHIPS SPREAD SPECIES
Insects aud Reptiles Carried TO
Strange Lands by Trading
ships.


The finding of flies and butterflies a long
way out at sea is not unusual. When
certain vessel had stood out some thirty
miles from the shores Of China q plague OF
flies overlook It. The cabin was so full OF
them that the beams were blsckened. Com
mon black house flies they were for the
most part with, however. a plentiful sprin-
king Of large green flies. Where the could
have come from was a mystery; but they
were a terrible nuisance, and, although the
crew swept off hundreds in q net, their
! numbers were not sensibly diminished.
Another singular circumstance was that,
although no land was In sight, large dragon
flies repeatedly flew across the ship: and
there was observed one large, dark butter
fly fitting across in the direction OF land
without stopping to rest on the ship. At
this time the nearest land was the Chusan
islands fully thirty miles off.
There are many insects that migrate from
one quarter of the globe to another In ves-
sells plying between distant ports Indeed,
1t has been contended, the spread OF many
varieties OF insects has been dependent on
the ships OF civilized nations. Winged pests
and blessings have been continually carried
to new countries by this means.
Not so many years ago a vessel from the
tropics was followed by a swarm of butter
flies which persistentiy lowered about the
rigging until the shore was lost in the mists.
Then the insects alighted on the masts and
decks. A few disappeared in the cabins and
the hold Of the ship. After trip OF some
forty days the vessel reached England, and
from their hiding places in the ship quite q
number Of these butterflies emerged and
flew ashore. Thus an entirely new species
OF butterfly was introduces into the British
Isles.
| Ships engaged In the fruit trade are
visited by a miscellaneous collection OF
queer creatures. Concealed in punches OF
bananas there may be poisonous reptiles
and insects that have travelled half round
the globe. They may bite or sting the hand
OF some receiver Of fruit or they may be
killed before they have inflicted injury,
Frequently, however, they escape ashore;
and should the new climate prove congenial,
7 they may in a very short time produce a
progeny that will eventually spread to no
small extent. Venomous snakes OF the
tropics have thus been introduced into lands
where none were ever known to exist be.
FORE Moths OF a destructive nature con-
stantly migrate in fruit-ships. Numerous
immigrants in the shape Of bees are brought
in with flowers and plants.
Insects from the West Indies have been
brought by the millions concealed in the
beautiful Easter lily blossoms, and from all
parts of the world come strange bugs
hidden away In the cup-llke blooms Of
orchids.
Not all the newcomers are obnoxious.
some being of distinct value to their
adopted country, their introduction In a
way frequently working out the problem of
the destruction Of some pest
In addition to the assortment of queer
insects not on the ships invoice that are
brought into port may be cited some odd
items Of cargo regularly listed. OF these,
perhaps one of the strangest ever known.
was a cargo of 5000 cats, shipped from
Hamburg to Yokohama, for use In battling
with q pest of mice In Japaneae towns.
This shipment of what Shakespeare called
the harmless necessary cat proved a wise
one, seeing that the pestered Japs were
thus enabled to rid themselves of their
little nuisances.
The Haytian government once despatched
a vessel to Kingston, Jamaica, there to take
on cargo of many male and female vul-
lures of the John Crow" variety. II an.
pears that the statesmen Of the black re.
public, in a spasm OF reform, decided upor
the establishment of street-cleahing de-
partment in Jacmel. Human labor beInr
) too expensive there at the time, they de
! termined, upon learning OF the wonderful
scavenger qualities OF tie Jamaican vul
lures, to enlist their aid toward the ac
oomplishment Of their sanitary project. TIL.
vultures were obtained through the court
esy of the government OF jamaica, and fol
while the scheme of the Haytians worket
well. 1t was found difficult. however, I,
keep the vultures ION the job" at Jacmel
inasmuch as they had business elsewher,
when once they had cleaned up the Haytiai
town pretty wen.-Harpers Weekly.