AFTER A. 29 



four wheels and a postillion. A third flea was seated on the coach- 

 box, and held a splinter of wood for a whip. Two other fleas drew 

 a cannon on its carriage ; this little trinket was admirably finished, 

 not a screw or a nut was wanting. These and other wonders were 

 performed on polished glass. The flea-horses were fastened by a gold 

 chain attached to the thighs of their hind legs, which I was told 

 was never taken off. They had lived thus for two years and a half, 

 not one having died during the period. To be fed, they were placed 

 on a man's arm, which they sucked. When they were unwilling to 

 '■^raw the cannon or the carriage, the man took a burning coal, and on 

 it being moved about near them, they were at once roused, and re- 

 commenced the performances." 



The learned fleas were the admiration and amazement of Paris, 

 Lyons, and the chief provincial towns of France, in 1825. 



But how, one will ask, was it possible in a large public room to 

 see this wonderful sight ? And it is necessary that this should be 

 explained. The spectators were seated in front of a curtain, pro- 

 vided with magnifying glasses, through which they looked, as they 

 would at a diorama of landscapes or buildings. 



But let us return to the natural history of our insect. The female 

 ilea lays from eight to twelve eggs, which are of oval shape, smooth, 

 viscous, and white. 



Contrary to what one might think, a priori^ the flea does not fix 

 its eggs to the skin of its victims. She lets them drop on the ground, 

 between the boards of floors, or old furniture, and among dirty linen 

 and rubbish. 



M. Defrance has remarked that there are always found mixed with 

 the eggs a certain number of grains of a brilliant black colour, which 

 are simply dried blood. This is a provision which the foreseeing 

 mother has prepared at our expense to nourish her young offspring. 



In four or five days in summer, and in eleven days in winter, 

 one may see coming out of these eggs small, elongated larvse, of 

 cylindrical form, covered with hair, and divided into three parts, the 

 last provided with two small hooks. The head is scaly above, has 

 two small antennae, and is without eyes. These larvse are without 

 limbs, but they can twist about, roll themselves over and over, and 

 even advance pretty fast by raising their heads. Though at first 

 white, they become afterwards of a reddish colour. 



About a fortnight after they are hatched they cease to eat, and 

 are immovable, as if about to die. They then commence to make a 

 small, whitish, silky cocoon, in which they are transformed into pupae. 

 In another fortnight these pupae become perfect insects. 



