THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2375, 7 September 1899, Page 54

THE NATURALIST.

THE HOUSE.FLY.

From his birth the house-fly is different to all other insects. He begins as a worm and ends in a winged state. He never grows after he has left the maggot state, so that small flies can never become larger any more than ponies can become horses. There are fortyeight distinct species. But it is when he becomes the perfect fly that the marvels of his construction appear. He is started off uito the world admirably protected for offence and defence, and, if he escapes the multitude of snares set for him, stands a good chance of living five of six years, during which time, if he has any sense of enjoyment, he can amuse himself by making man — that lord of creation — furious and frantic Even during the winter he is secure ; for it matters not how cold it is — even if he is frozen during some portion of the time he will emerge when the warm days come, ready and willing to begin his work of torment. The head set upon his shoulders, small as it is, is a masterpiece, for it is literally one lump or mass of eyes — sixteen, thousand of them — although ostensibly there are but five. Of these .five, two occupy the whole of the sides of the head, one on each side, and considering the size of the creature are enormous in extent, being composed of no less than 4000 facets or lens apiece — that is to say, pos-, sessing a power equal to that of two thousand pairs of strong spectacles. Then on the top of the head are three other combinations, fully as marvellous as those at the sides. No wonder" it is so difficult to catch the insect, and, if caught, how its amazing vision enables it to slip away through any crevice. Only try to secure the creature with your hand, and it will soon be made apparent to you that, although you seem to hold it, its eyes have shown it the way to escape. The head, too, is furnished with a pair of antennas, which the ily appears to be always Sharpening one over the other, or, at least, cleaning; and each of these consists of six distinct joints, whilst its tongue is an extraordinary imple- , ment, unbending itself when its services are required, pushing itself out, and displaying a rough surface that acts like a rasp, a, qualification bookownera know to their cost. Proceeding to the leg 3, we find it has three pair 3; and that discovery at once reveaid to us the mystery of the animal's great rapidity when walking. And on surveying the foot we are fairly amazed at its wonderful contrivance. Here we find pads and horns, thousands of hairs, and a secretion, each with its own peculiar duty. The cushions or pads are covered with the hairs, and from the 'roots exudes a secretion for the purpose of keeping the pads moist, and thereby assisting the insect to hold on when travelling about the ceiling, or on glass, or any other substance requiring a firm grip. But the horns on the foot astound us the most of all. There are two to each foot, in shape somewhat similar to a lobster's claw, and by them the little insect can hold tenaciously to any object. These are the torments that irritate us, when the fly obligingly favour^ us with his company. They are minute pickaxes struck into our flesh, and the digging in and drawing out are the causes that offend our susceptibilities, and lead us to fits of exasperation. To crown all these marvellons peculiarities, however, we have only to note the means of flight and method of suspension in the little creature to be fairly startled at the powers it possesses. _ It has but one pair of wings, a qualification that at first sight appears meagre when compared with the abundance bestowed upon its other" members; yet it is clearly sufficient, seeing that these wings are intended simply for propulsion, and that the support of the insetet when flying rests with another peculiar and unique contrivance termed the poiser. This last marvel of the fly is shaped like a tennis-bat, and when they are in use (for there are two) they constantly vibrate, tints supporting the insect independently- of the wings, which are kept for flight only. Flying at its highest speed, a 'fly makes 600 strokes each second of time with its wings, and travels by that exertion twenty-seven feet of space — that is to say, at the rate of eighteen and a-half miles an hour. Now, compare the length .of a stroke of a fly's wing — say half an mch — with the stroke or turn of the fly-wheel of a locomotive — say ten feet from point to point. By the same rate of progression as that of the insect, the machine ought to have travelled in the second with its 600 strokes no less than a little over a mile, a rate that is considered surprieing ; and yet the fly, if he were of the same size as the engine, could hold his own with ease. What a blessing it is that the little pest is no larger ! for who could stand the stare of his head of eyes, or bear the rasp of his rough" tongue, or survive the piercings of those dreaded foot-hooks ? — leaving out the question of his voice, for he lias a voice, and a strident one, too, aa anyone can ascertain for himself if he does but confine the creature, when such a buzzing ensues as soon convinces the most sceptical. For a long time it was thought this sound came from the wings ; but now it is known for certain that particular organs in the throat produce it, and upon close investigation it was discovered to resemble the neighing of a horse. Nowadays much thought is being expended as to the invention of flying-machines, and it would not be a bad idea if enthusiasts took into consideration the fly's wonderful apparatus of ■wings. They would not be in want of specimens wherewith to test the capabili ties of these marvellous supporters ; for the fly-family is a numerous one, the mothers condescending to lay seventy, eighty, or ninety eggs in a quarter of an hour, and thus in a season helping to establish a progeny whose "family tree" would show children,grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren to the number of some two millions. We are told that the house-fly is quite a modern production, that there are no fossil remains of him — that he springs from dirt, and whore it is not, the fly is unknown. Here in Britain we know him well — too well, in fact-ya horror, a plague, an infliction, whose egg hatches in twelve hours, whose ladies aro larger, lighter in colour, and more venomous in attack than their fathers, husbands, and brothers ; who lurks in secret corners during the winter, and swarms out when the cold and dark days are ended. Yet we are informed man can circumvent the creature's onslaughts i f he will but only wash his face or bald head or -any other exposed part with an infusion of camomile or bruised elderleaves, and wear them in his hat, or make a paste of fever feed and daub it about the parts patronised by the tiny scourges Home-pa-per. To safeguard against colds, chills, and influenza, take a cupful of Liebig Company's Extract, morning or evening, hiit be sure it is the Coaipany/Bj signed J. 3£. Liebig ia blu^