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Magnified 15
times, these four fleas with their circus
chariot are here seen feeding on their owner's
hairy forearm.
Fleas
live off man who lives off fleas
When his father died last October, Herbert LeRoy
Heckler became the sole proprietor of one of New
York's strangest entertainment properties
"Professor" Heckler's Trained Flea Circus.
Established in Hebert's Museum on West 42nd
Street, "Professor" Heckler sits behind a table
on a small platform and puts his troupe through
six circus acts. through magnifying glasses
spectators watch the fleas dance, juggle, walk a
tightrope, operate a carousel and stage a
chariot race. Heckler will put on a show for
30cents.. During an average day his fleas
perform their specialties about 20 times. No
ordinary American fleas, the Heckler performers,
called Pales irritants, are imported from
Mediterranean countries by ships; stewards who
get 10cents apiece for them. After three weeks
of training, these fleas live about six months
in captivity. Their strength approximates that
of an ant: they can lift objects 60 times their
weight, pull objects 700 times their weight.
Few fleas ever learn more than one act for the
professor but for him they will frequently work
so hard that they wear off several leg joints.
They supply Heckler with a comfortable
livelihood and he in turn supplies them with the
human blood on which they subsist. Twice a day
he puts each flea on his forearm, lets it have a
full feeding from him.
This
trained flea is held in place by a minute copper
wire around his neck. He was broken of the
jumping habit on a glass tube.
Strange as
"Professor" Heckler's fleas lug a cannon of this
relative size around 20 times a day in a New
York amusement emporium
Slightly
larger than actual size, this "Flea's Hotel" is
made of white flannel because its guests seem to
find white areas restful. These performers
keep their circus equipment right in the same
quarters with them. To each flea is
fastened a tiny copper-wire thread which keeps
it from deserting the show for the paying
customers.
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After its workout in a glass tube a circus flea is
wired to this miniature gibbet if it still persists
in jumping. the heavy collar and chain soon
break this habit and then the insect is ready to be
trained for its single act.
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Here "Professor"
Heckler with a magnifying glass screwed into his eye
is teaching one of his new fleas its special act.
With hands as steady as a watchmaker's he adjusts
his performer's wire collar with a pair of tweezers.
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The Climax of the
flea circus is this race between two charioteers and
one cannoneer. So eager to work for their employer
are these fleas that they literally wear off their
legs pulling things. A Heckler flea lasts
about six months. |
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