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FLIES. 413 
have from seven to nine generations of flies, it should not astonish 
us that these winged tormentors appear as by magic. The question, 
why do flies appear suddenly and in such immense numbers, may be 
answered by the statement that they multiply in geometrical pro- 
gression,and that a single female in suitable seasons and surrounded 
by plenty may produce such a number of offsprings in one year 
that it will require thirteen figures to express it. There are millions 
init! But flies have not in everything their own way, as will appear 
later. As soon as the nights become cool, flies try their very best to 
find shelters for the winter, and no matter how carefully we may 
protect door and windows with screens they will find an entrance, 
to the great worry of our better halves. Sufficient numbers would 
thus find a shelter if they did not bring with them at the same time 
anenemy they cannot escape, and one that will kill the very great 
majority of all house-flies. Only a few escape this general slaughter> 
and these few are the ones that may be seen during the winter in our 
houses; others will find wintering quarters under rubbish or re- 
main in a torpid condition until the warm weather of spring coaxes 
them to life. Most flies that escape death in autumn winter over 
in their winged form; a few may also hibernate as pupe, though 
this is doubtful, at least in Minnesota. 
Have you ever observed a genuine house-fly, one with a full pedi- 
gree? This question seems absurd, but my experience has been 
that really few persons can tell the difference between a house-fly 
and other flies so common in our houses. All flies found upon our 
walls, upon windows and tables, are called house-flies, yet at least 
a dozen species are mixed up in that congregation, all widely differ- 
ent, more so than cows and horses. One of the most curious habit 
of the genuine Simon-pure house-fly is its peculiar position during 
sleep, and once observed it will always be recollected. When we enter 
a dark room all flies are sleeping, but only the house-flies sleep 
with their heads downwards, the others in a more normal position. 
By bringing a light in the room, you may count very rapidly the 
number of true house-flies or that of other intruders. Notwithstand- 
ing our intimacy with the fly, orratherits intimacy with us, how very 
little is really known of it by the plurality of tormented humanity. 
Those present always excepted, not 10 per cent of vur fellow citizens 
even know how many wings or legsa fly has nor where it spends its 
early days in infantile sports. How many know why it so sud- 
denly appears in countless numbers to torment the masterpiece of 
creation, not caring a straw when or where to attack him? The 
minister in church aswell] asthe public speaker, during some of 
their most eloquent passages, must scratch their noses as wellas 
the poor laborer, who diligently or otherwise digs trenches fora 
new gas company. A study of the proboscis of the fly reveals a 
wonderful adaptability for its uses and misuses. In this proboscis, 
we see a fleshy tongue-like organ, bent up beneath the head when at 
rest. The maxille are minute, their palpi being single pointed, 
and the mandibles or jaws, are comparatively useless, being 
very short and small, compared with the lancet like jaws of 
the mosquito or horse-fly. But the structure of the tongue itself 
