306 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
Fig. 2. —TAIL. 
much so. that they give them different names ; the Lob¬ 
ster being called Homarus, and the Crawfish Astacus. 
“ W. I. N.” is not the only one who has asked about the 
animal, which is found in most streams, and is especially 
abundant in the South and West. This, the Crabs, the 
Lobster, the Shrimps, and others, including some very 
small animals, called “Sand-fleas,” all belong to the 
CLASS OF CRUSTACEANS, 
so-called, because they have a crusta , or outside crust, or 
shell. Some of them may be mistaken for insects, to 
which they are closely related; they differ from insects in 
the number of divisions of the body, and number of legs ; 
the true insects have six legs, while these have 10 or more, 
and breathe by gills; so you will see that the crustaceans 
are very unlike insects. To describe our Crawfish, we 
must borrow an engraving from Prof. E. S. Morse’s 
“First Book of Zoology,” a work which I wish every 
wide-awake boy or 
girl, who wishes to 
study animal life, 
could have. Here, 
figure 1, is Prof. 
Morse’s portrait of 
one of the Crawfish¬ 
es, for we have sever¬ 
al. You will see that 
there are two unlike 
parts, the body and 
head are not distinct, but all in one piece, or shield, and 
make the upper part, while the lower part (that we in the 
lobster incorrectly call the “ tail," but which is really the 
abdomen,) is made up of rings, and in the engraving is 
shown curved under the body ; at the very end of this 
part are some broad plates, or fins, which are shown sep¬ 
arate in figure 2; these the animal uses in swimming, 
and can go backwards very rapidly. Beginning at the 
head end, you will notice its curious eyes, which are set 
upon stalks, so that the animal can push them out and 
turn them, to see in all directions ; then there is a pair of 
long feelers, and a pair of shorter ones, which are double. 
If you should carefully examine the mouth, you would 
find it well guarded by six pairs of parts, some of which 
are jaws, and others are more like paws or feet. Then, 
from the tinder-side of the body, are five pairs of legs, the 
forward pair much larger than the others, with powerful 
pincers at the end ; these they use to fight with, to catcli 
their prey, and, sometimes, to nip the toes of boys who 
are not on the lookout. The next two pairs of legs end 
in small nippers, and the other two pairs have only a 
single claw. The lower half of the animal, or abdomen, 
is made up of rings, jointed together, and underneath, on 
eacli ring, is a pair of flipper-like bodies, which are used 
like fins in swimming forwards, and in the female they 
hold the eggs until they hatch. There are many other 
curious things about the animal, but we can not now look 
inside of it to point them out. The shell is hard, and the 
animal can not grow, so occasionally (once a year it is 
supposed) the creature gets out of its shell. Lobsters 
and Crabs, moult , as it is called, in a similar manner; the 
body part separates from the abdomen, and the shield of 
the body cracks down the back; the animal wriggles its 
SOWBUG. 
body out of the opening, and then pulls out one leg after 
another, 
LIKE PULLING OFF ITS BOOTS, 
until at last it is quite free. The animal is then a help¬ 
less, weak, soft thing, unable to defend itself, so it hides 
away from all enemies, increases in size; its skin 
gradually hardens, and at length becomes a shell. Some¬ 
times one of the legs is too tight a fit, and will not come 
out of jhe “ hoot ” ; in this case, after trying for a while, 
the animal finding that it will not come off, just leaves its 
leg, and goes away without it. You will think that, hav¬ 
ing so many legs, one the less will make .no difference. 
Not so—the leg'growsagain 1 These animals haveadroll 
way with their legs; if, in fighting, the ehemy gets fast 
hold of a leg, they let it drop, and get off with the rest. 
The Crawfish feeds on any kind of animal food, living of 
dead, even eating carrion. In some places they cause 
much trouble by making holes in embankments, as they 
are fond of burrowing, and sometimes they live in low 
grounds at a distance from streams, in holes containing 
water. The European Crawfish is larger than ours, and 
is much esteemed as food....There is another animal 
that I was asked about some time ago— 
THE COMMON “SOWBUG,” 
I was asked if it were an insect, and if it did any harm. 
No doubt every boy and girl, almost, knows this animal, 
which is very common in cellars, under logs and boards 
that have laid long on the ground, and in other damp 
places; because it is called Sowbug, they have most like¬ 
ly supposed it was a bug, or insect. The engraving, fig. 
3, also from Prof. Morse’s book, 
shows the form of the animal 
magnified, and the line at its side 
gives the natural length ; it is of 
a bluish or lead-color, and, having 
an abundance of legs, it travels off 
in a lively manner. The Sowbugs 
are called Wood-lice in England, 
and sometimes, on account of 
their color, “ Slateis.” This is 
not an insect, but a crustacean, 
and belongs to the same class with 
the Crawfish. I have not room 
to point out how it is like, and 
how it is unlike the Crawfish, but one of the differ¬ 
ences is in the number of feet, for which reason it 
is placed in a different division of the class. Like the 
Crawfish, the Sowbug carries its eggs under the body. 
While these creatures can, and do, live on decaying 
plants and other useless matter, they are so fond of other 
things, that we must, on the whole, look upon 
THE SOWBUGS AS ENEMIES ; 
they are fond of fruit, and, though they do not eat much, 
they make unpleasant holes in strawberries and other 
fruits; then there are some delicate, garden plants that 
they destroy, and in the greenhouse they will make great 
mischief. They are especially fond of the roots of those 
plants known ns Orchids, which are, perhaps, the most 
costly of all liot-honse plants, and gardeners have to keep 
a sharp look-out, and catch the Sowbugs in traps made of 
a scooped-out. apple or potato... Master “J. W. W.,” 
Gilmores Mills, Ya.. wishes me to describe 
THE COMMON HOUSE-FLY. 
I do not wonder at his wishing to know something 
about this very common, and very annoying insect—I 
should like to know about it too. Dr. Packard, oine of 
the recent writers on insects, in a popular work on 
“ Our Common Insects,” tells ns that the changes of the 
fly have not been traced in this country ! It is strange 
that our entomologists give very full accounts of far-away 
insects that few care about, but when it comes to the 
commonest of all, the pest of every house, they admit 
that they are not sure whether our fly is the same as that 
of Europe, or a different species! The English works, 
that I have access to, tell but little. From what I can pick 
up here and there, it appears that a few flies, enough to con¬ 
tinue the breed, live through the winter, bid¬ 
den in the cracks and crevices of our houses. 
These come out when the weather gets warm, 
and the first that we see are those that have 
been wintered over. Doct. Harris wrote, 
over 25 years ngo, of our fly, “ It is probable 
that, like the domestic fly of Europe, it lays 
their eggs in dung, in which its larvae [mag¬ 
gots] live, and pass through their changes of 
form,” and so far as I can find out, the scien¬ 
tific gentlemen, who study insects, are con¬ 
tent with this “probable” statement, and 
have added nothing, so far as I am aware, 
to the history of the house-fly_The same 
correspondent asks if I think it proper to 
KILL THE BLACK SNAKE ; 
he has been told that this snake should 
be spared, because it kills rattle-snakes, 
while he thinks it should be killed, because 
it destroys so many insect-eating birds. 
I have never considered the question. I very much doubt 
the rattle-snake story; if I were sure that the Black 
Snake did kill useful birds, I should prefer to dispense 
with the snake. As a general thing, I protest against the 
killing of snakes, merely because they are snakes. My 
young friend must act according to his knowledge ; I can 
not decide for him.. .Master “J. W. W.” has still an¬ 
other point. He was told by an “intelligent young 
man,” that the 
COMMON EARTH, ANGLE, OR FISH-WORM, 
was the larval, or grub, Btate of the Fire-fly, or “Light¬ 
ning-bug,” and that, in the course of time, the worms 
would turn into the perfect insect,—This is a great mis¬ 
take. The Earth-worm does not “ turn into” anything ; 
it is as complete an animal in its way, as a dog. a horse, 
or even as a young man is, according to his kind. 
Aunt Sue’s Clints. 
J. B. W. and several others have asked for canvas-pat¬ 
terns for tidies, etc. It does not seem worth while to go 
to the expense of engraving them for the American 
Agriculturist, when they may be procured for a few cents 
at almost any worsted store. 
Florence M.—The prettiest way of arAnging flowers 
that I have seen lately, is to fill your saucer or dish with 
fresh, moist, green moss (polytrichum, is the best), and 
stick your flower-stems into it. The effect is very pretty, 
and a few flowers make quite a show. Keep the moss 
wet. With that arrangement you will not need a “ cover 
to hide the stems.” For answer to your other question, 
see notice to J. B. W. 
M. R. asks, “Is it proper to have a spit-box in a 
parlor?”—I should like to be able to answer, most 
emphatically, “ no" ; but if your guests have acquired 
that most abominable habit—spitting—it may be neces- 
•sary to have the horrid thing in the room, to save the 
carpet. There are times, however, when I think the 
mere appearance of the utensil invites contributions. I 
would not have selected this subject for a lecture, but as 
M. R. has started me, I should like to add, to all the 
boys (I dare not say men), who read these lines, please 
don’t ever spit, if you can avoid it. It is an ungentle- 
manly habit. 
Mary Augusta writes: June 11,1877. 
“ Darling Aunt Sue:—l am a country girl, and as I am 
a blonde, I of course have plenty of freckles, as all girls 
and boys do that are not afraid of the fresh air. Now, 
Aunt Sue, I want you to be so kind as to publish a recipe 
for making a wash for my face, to take them off, one tlmt 
will not spoil my skin, as all, or nearly all, of these ad¬ 
vertised washes do. Now, if it is in your power to do 
anything in that line, or if you can’t, I will always, be 
your loving friend, Mary Augusta/’ 
Well, my “ darling,” Mary Augusta, I have often read 
recipes for removing freckles—lemon-juice, borax, and 
water, etc., but I never saw or heard of any that were 
efficacious (except those which took “ skin and all ”). I 
suppose you could get rid of them if you should stay in 
bed, send for the doctor, and not go out of the house for 
three months or so. How would yon like to have a clear 
complexion at that expense? The best remedy for 
freckles that I know of, is to be so pleasant, unselfish, 
good-natured, and jolly, that everybody will be glad to 
see your freckles come into the room. I spent one sum¬ 
mer at the sea-side, where there was a young lady with a 
very fair complexion, but she always muffled herself up 
in veils and wraps, even when she went in bathing. I 
noticed that, although strangers were attracted by her 
good looks at first, the attraction didn’t last long, and the 
“strangers” soon deserted, the beauty, and had a good 
time with the freckled girls. So never mind your freckles, 
dear. I rather like them. 
Answers, too late for notice, to the liquor agent’s ac¬ 
count, have been received from Mrs. R. H. S., William 
S. F., Jesse M„ Vox Pueri, O. H. L., C. C. W., and 
John L. D. (Jesse M., you will have to try again.) 
Very clever answers have also been sent to the “ Puz¬ 
zling Puzzle” in the May No., page 187, by C. H. Hill, 
W. 0. Harvey, George White, W. S. Fuller, Webfoot, 
O. W. West, G. A. W., and W. W. 
The latter offers a puzzle, which, though not original, 
is very good, and may be new to many of our readers. 
Place 24 sticks (toothpicks 
or matches) so as to__ __ 
make nine squares, thus: 
Required the removal of 
eight sticks or matches, so 
as to leave two, and only ” 
two, complete squares. 
When sending the prizes 
to those whoanswered the I 
prize enigma, I requested 
an acknowledgment of the | 
parcels, and asked most of ““-- 
the recipients to tell me 
what word gave them the clew to the whole. Only eight 
have responded. I trust that the other four prizes have not 
gone astray. I should like to publish some of the pleas¬ 
ant letters received on the subject, but lack of space for¬ 
bids. Many inform me, conscientiously, that they were 
assisted by other members of the family. That was all 
right, provided that only one of that family sent the 
answer. Geo. M. Taylor says that he fixed upon “ Ounce” 
for the animal, and “stuck to it.” And adds, “ I sent a 
copy to two friends, who are reputed experts, and they 
have been working at it since. One of them has the aid 
of a philologist, who is trying also, but none of them 
have got further than itieer’ yet, for the ‘carnivorous 
annual.’ ”—J. B. M. and C. S. Campbell guessed the 
squirrel-fur (“ Vair ”); and Jessie L. Kirk, Mrs. Thomas, 
and Abraham Resli found “ Macaroon,” and now /wonder 
how they ever found that word as a definition for fop. 
Will Frederick Bruce, Jas. A. Windsor, Jr., Edward D. 
