The exhibiter of the Fleas is said to be greatly
embarrassed by the prevailing epidemic : so many of his fleas has been put to bed of influenza, that he has with great difficulty been able to keep together a sufficient number of performers to represent the Siege of Antwerp with proper effect. The Siege of Antwerp is, more- over, a dangerous service : in running up the scaling-ladders, many are killed by the discharge of the guns. The proprietor complains grievously of his loss in killed and wounded. His actors cost him threepence each. Pasture is not expensive: a team of fleas will not eat off more than a square inch of human meadow in a month: this is, however, on the principle of stall- feeding—if they take their own range, it is well understood that they depasture to a much larger extent. The Flea-Ducrow keeps his stud in cotton-wool, and hires a little boy at so much per hour to supply nutriment : the cotton-wool box, we believe, is applied after the manner of a cupping-glass.
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