PULICIDiE — FLEAS. 809 



also, concludes this writer, from the most villous and from 

 the thickest pieces of tapestry, whither they betake them- 

 selves when full, if goats' blood is set in a vessel or in a 

 cork.^ 



Moufet says: "A Gloeworm, set in the middle of the 

 house, drives away Fleas. "•^ 



On the subject of destroying Fleas, the following pleasant 

 piece of satire, by Poor Humphrey, will be read witli a 

 smile : "A notable projector became notable by one project 

 only, which was a certain specific for the killing of fleas, and 

 it was in form of a powder, and sold in papers, with plain di- 

 rections for use, as followeth: The flea was to be held con- 

 veniently between the thumb and finger of the left hand ; 

 and to the end of the trunk or proboscis, which protrudeth 

 in the flea, somewhat as the elephant's doth, a very small 

 quantity of the powder was to be put from between the 

 thumb and finger of the right hand. And the deviser un- 

 dertook, if any flea to whom his powder was so administered 

 should prove to have afterwards bitten a purchaser who 

 used it, then that purchaser should have another paper of 

 the said powder gratis. And it chanced that the first paper 

 thereof was bought idly, as it were, by an old woman, and 

 she, without meaning to injure the inventor, or his remedy, 

 but, of her mere harmlessness, did innocently ask him, 

 whether, when she had caught the flea, and after she had 

 got it, as before described, if she should kill it with her 

 nail it would not be as well. Whereupon the ingenious in- 

 ventor was so astonished by the question, that, not knowing 

 what to answer on the sudden occasion, he said with truth 

 to this effect, that without doubt her way would do, too. 

 And according to the belief of Poor Humphrey, there is 

 not as yet any device more certain or better for destroying 

 a flea, when thou hast captured him, than the ancient man- 

 ner of the old woman's, or instead thereof, the drowning of 

 him in fair water, if thou hast it by thee at the time."^ 



The old English hunters report that foxes are full of Fleas, 

 and they tell the following queer story how they get rid of 

 them : " The fox," say they, as recorded by Moufifet, " gathers 



1 Owen's Geoponika, ii. 155-6. 



2 Thealr. Ins., p. 277. Topsel's Hist, of Beasts, p. 1103. 



3 Hist, of Ins., ii. 318. Murray, 1838. 



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