and the entire body is seen to
be made up of a series of elastic armor-like bands wonderfully jointed,
and armed with bristling spines like the steel points on the armor of
olden times. The legs are six in number, jointed in so remarkable a
manner that they can be folded up one within another. When the flea
makes its prodigious leaps, these six legs all unfold at once, hurling
the little fellow high into the air.

The baby flea is produced from a minute egg that in six days hatches
into a tiny worm. In about ten days, the worm changes into a chrysalis,
and in twelve days more it appears a perfect flea, ready for warfare
upon anything or anybody.

Who first discovered that the flea was susceptible to education and kind
treatment is not known; but the fact remains that on their small heads
there is a thinking-cap capable of accomplishing great results. In the
selection of fleas for training, however, the same care must be taken as
with human beings, as the greatest difference is found in them. Some are
exceedingly apt scholars, while others never can learn, and so it is
that great numbers of fleas are experimented with before a troupe is
accepted. The Flea Circus here described was exhibited a few years ago
and was composed of about two hundred of the most distinguished and
intelligent fleas in the entire family.

One of the first lessons taught the flea, is to control its jumping
powers, for if its great leaps should be taken in the middle of a
performance, there would be a sudden ending to the circus. To insure
against such a misfortune, the student flea is first placed in a glass
phial, and encouraged to jump as much as possible. Every leap here made
brings the polished head of the flea against the glass, hurling the
insect back, and throwing it this way and that, until, after a long and
sorry experience, and perhaps many head-aches, it makes up its mind
never to unfold its legs suddenly again. When it has proved this by
refusing to jump in the open air, the first and most important lesson is
complete, and it joins the troupe, and is daily harnessed and trained,
until, finally, it is pronounced ready to go on the stage or in the
ring.

The famous Flea Circus was placed on an ordinary table, and resembled in
size and shape a common dinner plate. A rim several inches high
encircled the outer edge, and around the circle stood a number of small
wooden boxes--the houses of the performers, and the stables for their
car