HOW LONG THE FLY LIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 72, 24 March 1877, Page 4

HOW LONG THE FLY LIVES.

A fly born In August generally lives from four to biz weeks, or even two months, when its existence is cat short by .he frost or the attacks "of fungus plants. In tbe 'warmer climates tbe fly born in June may possibly live three months, or, eve?, perhaps, four, biit I doubt it. A few which survive the cold nnd rain and live until the followiog summer usually serve to perpetuate tbeir kind. And when it is known that a fly has. laid over 150 eggs in 12 hours it is a matter of little doubt whence come so quickly such swarms of flies as we see in the sunshine on any warm day after the rainy season. The Vitality of the fly is remarkably persistent, and strangely uosympatbetic with the life of nearly all insects. For instance, if we stick a pin through a fly and then withdraw ir, the fly will never never b. any worse for it. Btit stick a sword through a man, and even (hough you don't Withdraw it, you will be surprised at the result. If. you keep a fly impaled it will live until starvation ends its existence. . Again: decapitate a fly, and if it be cleverly done, it may live frpm twelve to twenty- four hours longer. lis first perambulations after b^ing decapitated, its buzzing gyrations, seem to show that it is confused, as if arable to understand this ndw dr'der of things. Then it will remain quiet for a while, next proceed io : clean itself, and thea, probably, start off on a backward ruo, and lire until its "inner man," which has not been attended to lately, like an einbyro Oliver Twist, begins to cry but for "more." Milk, in which every fly seems to take a queer interest, is the most rapid agency to finish Mr Fly for the coroner, Whose jury many, many times brings in a verdict of |* accidental drowning in a milk pitcher." Then there is another great evil in flydom in which the flies demand "reform."; It is the audacity with which a larger presumptuous biped animal coolly, cruelly, and carelessly exposes poison around loosely. It is an evil which has been complained of ever since Fly tasted of the poison cup, Refused to drink the potion up, But turned his little head aside, Disgusted with the taste, and died.