84 The Book of Bugs. 



broods oPthe harvest-fly are pretty well mapped out as 

 to habitat and date of reappearance. From the fact that 

 its numbers are decreasing so rapidly my natural tendency 

 to take a gloomy view leads me to suspect that it is of 

 great benefit to the human race, if we only knew it. I 

 have no other ground for supposing so, unless it is that 

 this is about the only insect that the English sparrow will 

 eat. I tell you that looks mighty suspicious. 



Before I leave bugs in general and get down to bugs 

 in particular, I really must speak of the saitha. The 

 male carries the eggs about on his back until they hatch. 

 Isn't that sweet of him? Shows he is a good family man 

 and takes a large fatherly interest in the welfare of his 

 offspring. Good old saitha! But wait a moment. As 

 the Irishman says in vaudeville, 'Tis not because he 

 wants to, but because he has to." He has a wife. 



' Henry," says she, ' I have some eggs for you to 

 carry. Just let me put them on your back, dear." 



' Well, really, Emmeline, I don't like to seem dis- 

 obliging, but you must excuse me. It seems to me you 

 are asking a great deal." 



" Dear, I wish you would. Only till they hatch, you 

 know." 



"Well, I like your nerve. I see myself--! just see 

 myself toting eggs on my back. Huh ! What do you 

 take me for, I wonder ? ' 



" Oh, pshaw, now ; don't be foolish ! Other bugs do 

 it, and I don't see why you shouldn't." 



"Yes, they do. And what kind are they? I s'pose 

 you want me to be like that milksop of a thing on the 

 next leaf. His wife's got him so he dassent say his 

 soul's his own. Everybody's laughing at him." 



" Now look here, sir, are you or aren't you going to 

 carry those eggs ? ' 



