The Grey Flesh-Flics 



into the world in one discharge of almost in- 

 appreciable length. 



Those live grubs, taking the place of the 

 usual eggs, have long been known. Every- 

 body is aware that the Flesh-flies bring forth 

 living maggots, instead of laying eggs. They 

 have so much to do and their work is so 

 urgent ! To them, the instruments of the 

 transformation of dead matter, a day means a 

 day, a long space of time which it is all-im- 

 portant to utilize. The Greenbottle's eggs, 

 though these are of very rapid development, 

 take twenty-four hours to yield their grubs. 

 The Flesh-flies save all this time. From their 

 matrix, labourers flow straightway and set to 

 work the moment they are born. With these 

 ardent pioneers of sanitation, there is no rest 

 attendant upon the hatching, there is not a 

 minute lost. 



The gang, it is true, is not a numerous one; 

 but how often can it not be renewed! Read 

 Reaumur's^ description of the wonderful pro- 

 creating-machinery boasted by the Flesh-flies. 

 It is a spiral ribbon, a velvety scroll whose 

 nap is a sort of fleece of maggots set closely 



^Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur (1683-1757), the 

 inventor of the Reaumur thermometer and author of 

 Memoires pour servir a I'histoire naturelle des insectes 

 (1734-42). — Translator's Note. 



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