Catching Flies for Fortunes.

Hastings Standard, Volume XI, Issue 5567, 27 July 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

Catching Flies for Fortunes.

GLOBE-TROTTING SEARCHES EOR BEETLES. Thert- is a man who spoivw t!io greater mrt oi life trav.-rsir.-x the oc«ins. from one <vut-of-the-way pkco to another looking for parasite. Tins is Georc- Comp?re. w.ic. as ?m ployed foii,tlv bv the Government c.|.W<;st Australia and the State ot (alionra. can t-.---.st. p-rbiw. of the least known ooruptti-m of any man in tin world. Mr Compere is an entomo ogi*t who luis .nad„ a speciality cf ibseoverinK the lartic.d.ar parasite wmcli wdl «.- Pt r.>v anv civen insect winch a.t:uk, fruit t'-'-cs am\ vegetables. . It is" a well-known fact that sue h in.*ctn often lav s'.egs to certain aistnct-, with «» much'v:g.Tir a-: to render *aM» thcusiiuds of acres cf orc.iauU, .iml »,r:ni' ruin and devastation in n'eii wake But every insect has its parasite, -upon the principle »?/h* " e*er i upon their backs t > bite em It is Mr Compere's busme-s to find anj parasite for wh'c'i he may bo a-=kw. - T ! :o pc-cul : ar circumstance in which 1,„ s'tvcs two wulelv-separated countries a, 'Australia and "North America are oWained by the fart that the. -.nsocfcs wldc'i attack tho fruit ,-, Wtb conntri.s. or at leaat in certain parte of them, are of the sain? spec e.s. « it.i c-ne or twa exceptions. . , For manv years past the intrepid entomologist his b.cn almost .nc-sssantly, on the tr-,rk of rtranßO bu-s. b-rtb-,. and fii.-x. aucl_his If.bourx ;, n ixh,-, rewarded bv in-alcnlaWe befits tn tbe -r-at fru.t-p-owm- industry. S . highlv is his won; rp.w.rdert bv tbe Governments e-mnloyinsi _f.m tKat hj" is p'ven a rnvinfr c->mmission. nnd even,- faclity for pursuing his study and cl**ificr,tion of >"^ in upt pirt ot the world lik?h .3 yield anv specially sought-for par-site. IX THE BACKWOODS OF BRAZIL. His nr-ric-.iicd trips aenxss ttiousanc.s c,r m-lcs of the Pacific to visit first one an! then tho other of his departments are han'.lv regarded by h:m m the lus-tt of travd ivjw. anv more than the City man looks upin bis jnumeyings to and from bis suburban retreat as such. Hi-; Prions trarellins commences w>en be has left the beaten track and «et off UP country in the w-Ws i> unexolored Brazil among the _ turbulent Cid-eic Boxers, or in the jungles -pt Indian native states. Recently Mr. Compere, had the task of searching for a diminutive fly to overcame the red and purple scaks which were d-stroying tlic tenon and oranse trees in Southern C:d forma and W«t Australia. . , H" travlWl from America, throufrii ftmthern Eurow. -and cr,-;el over to Africa. Then b> went t> AwrsK nr, t. In-'i-... and at last rj»W China. « tbe ti-ne looking for tho little fly. r£ deridexl t.bat if .spcc>mf; , » were t ? be obtained anyw'iere. by the great nr.-s of China was tbe place. . He jrmreeye* on a,Cli.nf=se junk first lavintt in a store « prorjsiora ami w.-.te:- is tho nwwidr. of life in that Tirt of the world ore not- such as the Lt civilised Htonnch can asMm.late Bands of pirate- infested th" d.s?n"et, throng wh"cb l,e P biH tho diffi-dty arose of sleeping on * £ of the river espose'l t-> a'tacKs o. th»se cut-throats or of takine up qiwrt"rs for the niplit in th» junk ase-aded " y ■SJJSrRW rMJMITED. The k>ng-look«l-for fly wa, at wst hnntcd down, but it was so sma las to bo hardlv visible without the a.dl of a microscope. The ordinary man migh well have despaired ot ever capturine *«"< i»<*«? A r r :°i '■' p ffato in the orchards attecrea. e r„r™t™.t«iT. o»in= to t™s.<™"; sat rft,,^sr^,, l s;;."s™"~ ;i ri m,m!K"r, .--s to eradicate the srale disrr„~A ■< b'lted suddenly and tett n ni. trJhe oVlA.nitin* '"^"^t^ heid n j; 'in fo'lowerl ittit-k Needless to .state, 11 i» '" r" t ""til then that he dec ded to abanh'lTi to n- ft '* " , ** , , - r.resence of mind wved torn. INFORTTNATE VALOR. Mr. Sm : th has very rtrict id-i' of wlien-e n-->is;. *;'>;-"* ? T1 ~-„„'t do rovster'- s 011 V." Von <*™ » m, ; ,l ' i is I tliro'-v them our of the < " C ln've"+ tV ralorons Smith, and «oon , hn-ivy b'idv came our oj 7 -ie m mt.-.-n - ''■ Tint's ow." shoute:! the fr end "DoVt count wv morv " ■ f m + -v„ where +'">. h-T"- lav nl™ n „i: t :Srm es. "It's me that c-ime ""it 5 -.v pc«- Mr Ji: , :l -01, -bonk vni:."' ,-xc'"mel an elderly ladv to a labourer who bis seat in a crowded train-car. thni.tv vn-i t->-v much." .. ' "Tt--,t'<; od right, nnnri. wnst"f''-- ■' o 'l', Tl- o,t '■'.-.T" rhe ebiv.ll-0:1.x 1 „ 1 .. ri1 , r , ~rV--l : -Wot T se« i< a "nn ~.-.V e r <-,'•*■ to let a wonir.n t,.,. n r?et n ntd-*= sbe's nre'tv. b:i+ yen see. renm, it don't lr.ako no diffr-renre to rr.o!"