EDUCATED FLEAS 
so that the insect was left, feet in air, 
where it could not exhaust itself by 
unnecessary efforts. I think that the 
absence of any proof of education in 
the above cases is quite plain. 
In the second class of cases the ef- 
forts made by the flea to escape are 
precisely the same, but, being fixed it- 
self, it must necessarily show its power 
by traction upon some movable object 
or by aimless gesticulations in the air. 
Generally the insect is attached to a 
sort of style or wire in a perpendicular 
position with the head uppermost and 
the limbs extended horizontally. Usu- 
ally it will remain quiet, but if dis- 
turbed by the vibration of its wire, as 
produced by knocking on the table, it 
will work its limbs about, seeking 
something to take hold of. If, then, 
segments of finest wire, fans of tissue 
paper, or other representations of ob- 
jects in miniature are attached to its 
fore “feet,” we shall have it apparently 
brandishing a stick or sword, fanning, 
performing- on a musical instrument, 
etc., all of which is much more clearly 
seen with the aid of a lively imagina- 
tion. 
Two fleas furnished with segments 
of finest wire on their fore “feet,” and 
placed with their ventral sides so near 
that the mimic swords can touch, but 
not the insects’ feet, give a representa- 
tion of a duel not much worse than that 
usual in most theatres. In their strug- 
gles to reach the adjacent object, it 
would be strange if the little wires did 
not clash occasionally. 
“Madame Lenormand,” “Rebekah at 
the Well,” and a flea turning a minia- 
ture windmill are brought, each on its 
perch, so near an endless chain of in- 
geniously minute workmanship, that 
their booklets catch in the links, and 
they eagerly seize the opportunity of 
pulling themselves, as they suppose, 
away from their bonds. The only re- 
sult is that a little pointer turns to a 
number on a dial, a little bucket comes 
out of a well-curb, or the mill goes 
round. A similar but horizontally ap- 
plied motion propels a little merry-go- 
round. 
The most amusing and, at first, most 
incomprehensible of the various per- 
formances, is that of the dancing fleas. 
The orchestra are placed above a little 
music-box, whose vibrations cause 
them to gesticulate violently for a few 
moments, fastened as they are to their 
151 
posts. Below them several pairs of 
fleas (fastened by a little bar to 
each other in pairs, those of each couple 
just so far apart that they cannot touch 
each other) are apparently waltzing; 
an inspection shows that the two com- 
posing each pair are pointed in opposite 
ways ; each tries to run away, the 
“parallelogram of forces” is produced ; 
the forward intention, converted to a 
rotary motion, ludicrously imitating 
the habits of certain higher vertebrates. 
I have sketched the plan of the per- 
formance, and it will be noticed that 
there is nothing in it which cannot be 
explained on the hypothesis with which 
we set out, namely, that all the effects 
produced may be the result of the nat- 
ural efforts of the insect to escape, the 
burden of proof being with those in- 
clined to a contrary opinion. Whatever 
the result to our opinion of the flea’s 
mental powers, one can hardly avoid 
admiring the ingenuity with which the 
“stage property” has been fitted to its 
purpose, and the beauty of the models 
and apparatus. 
The exhibitor claims to feed his 
swarm on his own arm, which exhibited 
a sufficiency of punctures. His whole 
company may be packed into a shaving- 
box and put in his coat-tail pocket. lie 
claims to have originated the exhibition 
forty years ago. Some of the anecdotes 
in his little pamphlet are amusing 
enough, and we find the following con- 
tributions to the Natural History of 
the Flea. 
“The flea may be easily dissected in 
a drop of water, and by this means the 
stomach and bowels may be plainly 
discovered, with the veins and arteries” 
( !) Their “amazing motion is per- 
formed by means of the great elasticity 
of their feet, the articulation of which 
are so many springs, in accordance with 
the exalted and lofty aspirations of the 
insect.” And finally, “Take a well fed 
— ( Ci/nex ) and a starved flea, and place 
them under a glass together, and you 
will be afforded an amusing spectacle. 
The flea as soon as he perceives the 
pursy condition of the bug will hop 
upon its back, and in spite of the latter’s 
struggles to throw him off. will suc- 
ceed in extracting the blood from the 
fed bug’s body, leaving it in quite a 
lean condition, while the flea becomes 
round, plump, and happy, after its bene- 
ficial ride.” 
