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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



for themselves a painful path under the skin 

 to the root of the horns, where they congre- 

 gate from all parts of the body, and where, 

 by uniting their labors, and gnawing inde- 

 fatigably, they occasion the annual casting 

 of the horns. Ridiculous as this fable is, it 

 is sanctioned by some authors. 



The rein-deer is still more cruelly 

 tormented by these insects. The gad-fly 

 takes the opportunity of depositing its eggs 

 at the time when the animal sheds its hair, 

 about the beginning of July. The hair then 

 stands erect, and the insect is always 

 fluttering near, to the great terror of its 

 victim. Ten of these flies will put a herd 

 of five hundred deer in the greatest agitation. 

 The poor animals tremble, change their 

 position incessantly, sneeze, snort, stamp, and 

 toss continually. The fly closely pursues 

 them if they flee from her, and keeps up with 

 them as they bound over precipices, valleys, 

 snow-covered mountains, and even the highest 

 Alps. In their flight, the animals always 

 choose a direction contrary to the wind, as 

 an additional means of gaining advantage over 

 their enemy. By this constant fear and 

 agitation, they are kept from eating during 

 the day, and are ever on the watch ; standing 

 with ears erect, and eyes attentive to all 

 around them. 



There is also a species of gad-fly appro- 

 priated to hares and rabbits in America ; and 

 this is said to be the largest species of 

 (Estrus yet discovered. 



Recent observations likewise go to prove, 

 that there is either a species of the family 

 appropriated to man, or that the same sorts 

 which attack quadrupeds, under certain 

 circumstances attack human beings. In 

 South America it is common to see Indians 

 with their stomachs covered with small 

 tumors, produced by a species of CEstrus. 

 This insect is said to penetrate the deeper the 

 more it is disturbed, so as in some cases to 

 produce death. 



Verily Nature abounds in wonders ! 



AUTO-BIOGKAPKY OF A DOG,— No. XXYI. 



WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 



( Continued from Page 300.) 



Ever since our late visit, my dear friend, to 

 the Peahen, the recollection of my adventures 

 with a certain unfortunate peacock have come so 

 vividly to my mind, that I must tell you all about 

 them. I dare say you will blame me a little; but 

 the truth is, it was fifty times more my brother's 

 fault than .mine ; for, entre nous, I really am the 

 most innocent dog in existence. Fact, — 'pon 

 honor ! 



But now for the funny scene. I cannot help 

 laughing at the reminiscence, even at this distance 

 of time; and for the sake of the laugh, 1 am quite 

 ready to take my share of the blame. Indeed, I 

 think I ought to bear the whole of it, seeing that 



my poor brother is no more. " De mortuis, nil 

 nisi bonum ! " 



At about ten minutes' walk from our house at 

 " (Jour," on the Geneva road, lived an immensely 



fat radical Vaudois, byname M n. Talk of 



the filthy moustache movement! this man's face 

 was positively hidden by his enormous black 

 moustaches and whiskers ; his beard too was at 

 least a foot long! He was a fine stout fellow, 

 and had a fine countenance ; but he was particu- 

 larly severe, and about the worst-tempered, most 

 despotic person I ever met with. 



Being at that time in easy circumstances, and 

 inhabiting a pretty country house, (he was a great 

 bully, and an out-and-out radical to boot),— he 

 was a capital tool in the hands of " Coco," (the 

 celebrated H. D — y) then chief of the radical party 

 at Lausanne, who used him as a kind of spy upon 

 all the conservatives at "Cour." He hated the 

 foreigners of every country with a most implacable 

 hatred ; and he had several times tried to pick a 

 quarrel with Bombyx. But my old master is not 



to be annoyed unfairly; and so he told M n, 



very coolly, that if he did not confine himself to 

 his own business, he would convert him into an 



Irish stew. This made M n wax very wrath. 



He became furious. 



The back part of our house was on the high- 

 road, and there were several bed-room windows 

 which opened thereon. On one of these window- 

 sills, my brother and myself were in the habit of 

 taking up our position every morning Now 



M n used to drive up to town daily, about 



8 o'clock a.m., in a ''char Allemagne," a species 

 of long cart, the like of which I have not seen in 

 this country ; and as he passed, he always 

 grumbled and swore at Carlo. The latter never 

 tailed to return the compliment by showing his 



teeth; and this used to provoke M n most 



sadly. One morning, as he passed, he saluted 

 Carlo as usual ; and was, as usual, replied to. 



Upon this, M n, unable to restrain his wrath, 



struck at Carlo with his whip ; who, in half a 

 second, leaped clean upon his back. I fol- 

 lowed instantly, and alighted in the middle of 

 a hamper of empty bottles. Before he could stop 

 his cart, we were both off. He could not say one 

 word, for he was the first to use his whip ; and 

 he got well laughed at into the bargain by some 

 people who were passing. He was more especially 

 quizzed by " frere Jean," who was just going to 

 execute a commission for Bombyx, and who wit- 

 nessed the whole of the fun. I see Jean now, — 

 stroking his nose! He took such a capacious 

 " prise!" He was, moreover, nearly crying with 



laughter. M n in his rage felt inclined to 



strike at Jean ! Luckily for him, he thought better 

 of it ; and after swearing most heartily at Jean, 

 he drove away ; the latter kept on stroking his 

 nose in double quick time, and laughing most 

 provokingly. This, however, only increased bis 

 dislike to all foreigners, and to Bombyx in par- 

 ticular. 



It so happened that our friend kept a great 

 deal of poultry at the rear of his house ; also a 

 favorite peacock, and a pair of pretty peahens and 

 " chivras." Well, one October morning, Bombyx 

 and his sons, accompanied by my brother, here 

 Jean, and myself, went out for a day's shooting, 

 intending to dine at "Crissier" and to return 



