THE TROUBLES OF THE HOUSE-FLY l8l 
that this lobster is, after all, only about an eighth 
of an inch long, with its claws spreading barely 
three - sixteenths of an inch ? Yes, true ; but we 
must remember that the fly is only about one- 
third of an inch long, and we can imagine how 
proportionately formidable the little beast must 
appear as a lurking foe and a handicap to the fly 
fraternity. I have therefore pictured this little 
episode of fly-time somewhat from the aspect of 
the fly. This was one of the " troubles " which I 
had in mind as I prepared the initial design with 
its letter O. I had counted on using an old 
specimen of the lobster which I had safely stowed 
away in a pill - box somewhere, until my hap- 
hazard fly victim supplied me with a fresh speci- 
men, and subsequently helped me out in the com- 
pletion and modification of my initial. 
A correct idea of the anatomy of the little crab 
may be obtained from my illustration. But what 
is it all about, this funny ride on a fly's hind-leg? 
Excepting as an inconvenience and encumbrance 
it is doubtful whether the fly is much the worse for 
his close attachment, and while this mimic crab or 
lobster cannot be called a frequent passenger, a 
careful scrutiny of any considerable assemblage of 
flies on white paper or window-pane will occasion- 
ally show us the animated and persistent red tag. 
But let us call him a lobster no more, rather 
one of the " False Scorpions," one of the group 
